UNHCR warns of humanitarian crisis amid forced Afghan repatriations

KABUL (TOLONews): The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has expressed concern over the widespread and disorganized return of Afghan refugees from Iran and Pakistan, describing the situation in Afghanistan as critical.

Arafat Jamal, the head of UNHCR in Afghanistan, stated at a press conference that the country is not adequately prepared to receive this influx of returnees.

He called for restraint, financial support, international dialogue, and cooperation to better manage this chaotic situation and achieve a more stable outcome.

Arafat Jamal said: “However, today what we are seeing is the undignified, disorganized, and massive exodus of Afghans from both countries, which is generating enormous pressures on the homeland that is willing to receive them and yet utterly unprepared to do so. We are calling for restraint.”

According to him, over 1.6 million Afghans including 1.3 million from Iran have returned to the country so far this year, a figure far exceeding the UN’s forecasts.

Jamal described the intensity of this trend as alarming, noting that on some days, more than 50,000 people have been reported crossing through the Islam Qala border.

He added: “Of concern to us is the scale, the intensity, and the manner in which returns are occurring. In terms of the scale, over 1.6 million Afghans have returned from both Pakistan and Iran this year alone, including 1.3 million from Iran.”

Some Afghan refugees residing in Iran have voiced concerns over forced deportations, saying they are unable to go to work and are being detained from markets and workplaces.

Enayat Alokozai, an Afghan refugee in Iran, said: “We are facing a humanitarian disaster in the refugee sector. Afghan refugees in Iran are facing serious challenges and are being arrested from marketplaces and workplaces.”

The UN’s warning comes as the deportation of Afghan refugees from neighboring countries, especially Iran has intensified.