Afghan Deportations From Iran Surge To Over 88000 In One Week

More than 88000 undocumented Afghan migrants were returned from Iran to Afghanistan between 19 and 25 June, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported on Friday.

In its weekly update, the IOM said a total of 88308 Afghan nationals were returned during that period. However, due to limited resources, the organisation was only able to provide assistance to 11 percent of them.

The IOM appealed for urgent funding to address the critical protection and humanitarian needs of returnees, warning that current support capacities are insufficient to meet the scale of need.

According to the report, 55 percent of those returned last week were forcibly deported, while 64 percent were part of family units.

The organisation also highlighted a sharp increase in deportations from Iran. In the previous week, from 12 to 18 June, 32844 Afghans were returned, less than half the number recorded in the latest reporting period.

Separately, the World Health Organization (WHO) stated that more than 71000 Afghans had returned from Iran and Pakistan between 1 and 14 June.

Looking ahead, the IOM has projected that in 2025, around 2 million Afghans could return from Iran and more than 1.6 million from Pakistan, underscoring the need for sustained international support to manage the growing crisis.