Over 10 Million Afghans Forcibly Displaced, Says UNHCR

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports that more than 10 million people in Afghanistan have been forcibly displaced due to ongoing conflict, persecution, and humanitarian crises, placing the country among the top three globally for displacement.

According to a report released Thursday, the global number of forcibly displaced people has risen to over 122 million as of April, a figure that has increased by 2 million since last year and has nearly doubled over the past decade.

One of the most notable developments is a more than 9 percent rise in the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs), now exceeding 73 million worldwide.

Sudan leads the list with over 14 million displaced individuals, followed by Syria with 13.5 million. Afghanistan ranks third, with 10.3 million people displaced, and Ukraine follows with approximately 8.8 million.

The report comes amid a surge in deportations of Afghan migrants from neighbouring Iran and Pakistan, where thousands are being forcibly returned each day. The UNHCR has raised concerns that many of these deportations are taking place under unstable political and security conditions, making return particularly dangerous for vulnerable groups.

Afghanistan has endured over four decades of conflict, including wars against a communist regime, infighting among mujahideen factions, and the more recent US-led intervention against the Taliban. These waves of violence have driven millions to seek refuge in Iran, Pakistan, and further abroad, including Europe.

In addition to cross-border displacement, Afghanistan faces persistent internal migration. Ongoing insecurity, economic collapse, and environmental disasters, including repeated droughts, have forced many Afghans to abandon rural areas in favour of major cities such as Kabul, Herat, Kandahar, and Mazar-e-Sharif.