Returning Afghan Nationals Overwhelm Support Systems Amid Expulsions

Islamabad, Jul 15 (AP) - The magnitude and speed of Afghan nationals returning from Iran are overwhelming the already delicate support systems, a senior UN official cautioned on Tuesday. Tens of thousands of individuals are crossing the border daily, arriving both exhausted and traumatised, and are heavily reliant on humanitarian assistance.

More than 1.4 million people have returned or been compelled to return to Afghanistan this year alone, with over 1 million arriving from Iran.

In 2023, both Iran and Pakistan initiated separate campaigns aimed at expelling individuals they claimed were residing in the countries illegally, setting deadlines and warning of deportation if they did not leave.

The two governments have denied that they are specifically targeting Afghans, who have fled their homeland over decades to escape conflict, poverty, or Taliban rule.

The UN’s special representative for Afghanistan, Roza Otunbayeva, visited the Islam Qala border crossing in Herat province, adjacent to Iran. She emphasized the urgent need for international assistance for Afghanistan.

Otunbayeva remarked that the immense volume of returns — many abrupt and involuntary — should be triggering urgent concern across the global community.

“Without swift interventions, the loss of remittances, pressure on the labor market, and cyclical migration will result in devastating consequences like further destabilization of both returnee and host communities, renewed displacement, mass onward movement, and threats to regional stability,” she explained.

Returns from Iran surged in June, following a March 20 rule by the government that mandated all “undocumented” Afghans to vacate the country. On June 25, over 28,000 individuals crossed back into Afghanistan as recorded by the UN migration agency.

Afghanistan remains a "forgotten crisis," with the majority of Afghans dependent on humanitarian aid to survive. However, significant funding cuts are exacerbating the situation, forcing aid agencies and NGOs to curtail education and healthcare programs.

Nicole van Batenburg, from the International Federation of the Red Cross, highlighted that Afghan children returning from Iran are suffering from ailments such as scabies and fever due to worsening conditions and hot weather at the border. Her team was reuniting hundreds of children with their parents daily.

In the disarray of hurried departures, many individuals lost their belongings and documents, managing to carry only a few suitcases, some of which have been repurposed into makeshift furniture.

“Afghanistan is an unseen crisis, and with many global crises happening simultaneously, it seems to be forgotten,” van Batenburg shared with The Associated Press by phone from the border region.

“The challenges are vast. We’re merely discussing the situation here at the border, but these people need to return to areas where they can rebuild their lives in the long term.”

Last week, the Norwegian Refugee Council reported that many of its personnel were accommodating returning families in their homes. Despite authorities' efforts to mobilize limited resources, local systems are unequipped to handle such extensive needs. (AP) SKS SCY