The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) calls on the international community to urgently increase funding to protect more than 1.4 million people who have returned or been forced to return to Afghanistan so far this year, including more than 1 million from Iran.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has reported a significant surge in the number of Afghans returning from Iran and Pakistan in recent months, marking a sharp departure from previous trends.
The UNHCR said that its response in Afghanistan this year is only 28% funded.
According to the agency, daily returns from Iran have increased significantly after 13 June, with the highest number recorded on 1 July, when more than 43,000 individuals crossed the border back into Afghanistan. This figure represents a dramatic rise compared to the January–June daily average of 5,000 returns.
Meanwhile, returns from Pakistan began accelerating earlier in the year, with nearly 150,000 people making the journey back to Afghanistan in April alone.
Another UN agency - the International Organization of Migration - stated on Monday that nearly 450,000 Afghans had returned from Iran since the beginning of June following a directive by Tehran for undocumented Afghans to leave the country by 6 July.
In late May, Iranian authorities announced that all undocumented Afghan nationals must depart by the deadline, a move that could affect up to four million people out of the estimated six million Afghans currently living in Iran, according to Iranian government figures.
The UNHCR has raised concerns about the humanitarian implications of these large-scale return movements, noting forcing or pressuring Afghans to return risks further instability in the region, and onward movement towards Europe.
"Immense challenges lie ahead for returnees, from accessing documentation, housing healthcare and education, to rebuilding their lives in a country they do not know. It is particularly worrying as returns are highly concentrated in just a few areas. Returns mark the start of a difficult journey in a country facing multiple, overlapping crises, and struggling to recover after four decades of instability. For women and girls in particular, life in Afghanistan brings extreme restrictions," UNHCR said.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick confirmed that South Korea’s reciprocal and auto tariff rate will be set at 15%, averting a steeper 25% levy ...
Americans will soon be able to access and share their medical records through a new “digital health tech ecosystem”, unveiled by U.S. President Do...
Microsoft expects to invest about $30 billion in capital expenditures this quarter, part of an overall record of more than $80 billion planned for...
Egypt's military dropped humanitarian aid by parachute over parts of Gaza on 30 July, targeting areas unreachable by road as famine warnings intensify...
The United States and Israel have criticised Canada’s announcement that it will recognise the State of Palestine at the UN General Assembly in Septe...
A group of UN human rights experts and the family of two British nationals detained in Afghanistan are voicing serious concern over the declining health of the elderly couple, urging their immediate release and access to critical medical care.
Britain set up a secret scheme to bring thousands of Afghans to the UK after their personal details were disclosed in one of the country's worst ever data breaches, putting them at risk of reprisals from the Taliban after their return to power.
Kazakhstan's Ministry of Transport and Afghanistan's Ministry of Public Works have reached an agreement on the construction of a new railway line to connect Central Asia and South Asia, which will increase the efficiency of the North-South corridor.
Afghanistan looks set to expand its exports to Europe via Azerbaijan port and railway links with South Asia and the Caucasus, as well as integrating the country into multimodal transport networks such as the Middle Corridor.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
Australian researchers have created a groundbreaking “biological AI” platform that could revolutionise drug discovery by rapidly evolving molecules within mammalian cells.
Australian researchers have pioneered a low-cost and scalable plasma-based method to produce ammonia gas directly from air, offering a green alternative to the traditional fossil fuel-dependent Haber-Bosch process.
A series of earthquakes have struck Guatemala on Tuesday afternoon, leading authorities to advise residents to evacuate from buildings as a precaution against possible aftershocks.
'Superman' continued to dominate the summer box office, pulling in another $57.25 million in its second weekend, as theatres welcome a wave of blockbuster competition following a challenging few years for the film industry.
Türkiye continues to confront the devastating legacy of past earthquakes, Istanbul is taking a major step toward future precautions—with the launch of an AI-powered disaster response system.
The Russian state news agency has reported that Shahin Shykhlinski, head of the Azerbaijani diaspora in Yekaterinburg, has been declared wanted in connection with a criminal offense.
A two-day official visit by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Türkiye concluded with the signing of 20 agreements aimed at expanding the strategic partnership between the two countries in key areas, including mining and rare earth minerals, space and technology, energy, and logistics.
The 5th meeting of the Kazakhstan–Türkiye High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, chaired by the two countries’ leaders was held on Tuesday in Ankara. The meeting was focused on strengthening cooperation in the areas of economy, transport, and investment.
President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev arrived in Türkiye on Tuesday for an official visit at the invitation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment