The UN refugee agency has reported that the unprecedented return of 5.4 million Afghans from Pakistan and Iran is pushing the country to a breaking point. Since October 2023, massive waves of migrants, many lacking documentation, have streamed across the borders, overwhelming the nation’s already fragile resources and infrastructure.
Arafat Jamal, the UNHCR representative, highlighted that 2.9 million people returned last year alone, marking the largest influx of returnees to any single country globally. This surge comes as Afghanistan struggles with a weak economy, the effects of severe droughts, and the aftermath of devastating earthquakes, making reintegration incredibly difficult.
Families are resorting to desperate measures like skipping meals, falling into debt, or selling belongings just to survive. The UN warns that without sustainable support, many of these returnees face a bleak future, unable to rebuild dignified lives in their homeland, with some already considering leaving again due to the lack of viability.
