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Expulsions by Iran and Pakistan Force Over 1.2 Million Afghans to Return

Only 11 percent of deportees have received humanitarian aid despite Pakistan’s looming June 30 removal deadline.

A Taliban fighter stands on a hill overlooking a camp housing Afghan refugees who have been repatriated from Pakistan, near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, in Torkham, Afghanistan, Saturday, May 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Afghan refugees who returned after fleeing Iran to escape deportation and conflict gather at a UNHCR facility near the Islam Qala crossing in western Herat province, Afghanistan, on Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Omid Haqjoo)
Afghan children from families repatriated from Pakistan carry pillows as they are relocated to their new residence in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Overview

  • According to UNHCR, Iran has deported over 366,000 Afghans this year, including 88,308 returns between June 18 and June 26.
  • The highest single-day return occurred on June 26 when 36,100 Afghans crossed from Iran into Afghanistan.
  • Pakistan has ordered about 1.3 million Afghans to leave by June 30 and aims to expel 3 million migrants by the end of the year.
  • Aid agencies report that just 11 percent of the more than 1.2 million deportees have received any form of assistance, triggering urgent funding appeals.
  • The Taliban administration has pledged safe reintegration and essential services for returnees, though officials warn that stretched resources hamper support efforts.