Six Million Forced Back Under Taliban

Six million people who have never set foot in Afghanistan are now being forced back under the Taliban’s rule, after a wave of deportations from Pakistan and Iran. By August, a further one million were sent home this year, swelling an already massive humanitarian crisis. Many of these returnees lack documentation, resources or any support network, leaving them vulnerable to poverty, exploitation and recruitment by armed groups. The sudden influx strains the Taliban’s limited capacity to provide food, shelter and healthcare, while also raising regional security concerns as displaced families may seek refuge elsewhere. International donors are being urged to step up aid before the situation spirals.

Deportees need immediate assistance; governments and NGOs must scale up food, shelter and legal aid to prevent a deeper crisis.

The mass deportations underscore the fragile state of Afghanistan’s humanitarian landscape and the ripple effects across South Asia. With the Taliban struggling to meet basic needs, the crisis threatens to destabilise neighbouring countries, fuel migration flows and erode any progress on regional security and development cooperation, and could undermine international aid efforts.