IOM warns of broader humanitarian crisis as over 4 million Afghans return home

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has issued an urgent appeal for international funding and support as Afghanistan grapples with one of the largest return movements in recent history.

Since September 2023, more than 4 million Afghans have returned from neighboring Iran and Pakistan, including over 1.5 million in the first eight months of 2025 alone. The trend is expected to continue, with an additional 1 million Afghans likely to return from Pakistan following Islamabad’s decision not to extend the stay of Afghan nationals—even those with legal documentation such as Proof of Registration (PoR) cards.

The IOM warns that the sheer scale of returns is placing immense strain on border infrastructure and communities already struggling with limited resources. Without immediate funding, existing support systems risk collapsing, endangering millions of lives.

“I spoke with families arriving at the border with Iran who were completely exhausted, many with small children and nowhere to go,” said Mohammed Abdiker, IOM’s Chief of Staff, who was visiting Afghanistan this week. “As lead of the Border Consortium, IOM is doing everything it can, but right now we can only assist one in ten people who need help. That is a situation no one should face. Afghanistan must not be forgotten.”

The situation has worsened significantly since April 2025, when Pakistan set a deadline for undocumented Afghans to leave or face deportation. Meanwhile, a parallel wave of returns from Iran began and continues. IOM reports that most of the returnees are undocumented, making reintegration into Afghan society even more difficult due to lack of access to identification, services, and formal assistance.

Abdiker also highlighted the mounting pressure on host communities inside Afghanistan.

“Many of these areas already lack basic services and economic opportunities. Without investment, returnees will struggle to reintegrate, and this often leads to further movement. Breaking this vicious cycle requires sustained support,” he said.

Afghanistan is already facing a host of overlapping crises—including the aftermath of four years of drought and ongoing climate shocks—that have driven internal displacement and deepened humanitarian needs, especially with winter approaching.

The IOM reiterated its call for returns to be safe, voluntary, and dignified, warning that without coordinated regional and international action, the current situation could spiral into a broader humanitarian disaster with far-reaching consequences.