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One child returns to Afghanistan every 30 seconds as humanitarian crisis worsens: charity
Afghanistan is facing a dramatic surge in returning children, with nearly one child returning to the country from Iran or Pakistan every 30 seconds on average, according to a statement released by Save the Children on Monday.
More than 800,000 children have returned to Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan this year, double the number recorded in 2024. Around three-quarters of these children have returned from Iran, many of them born outside Afghanistan or having spent most of their lives in exile.
The child rights organisation warns that many of these children are arriving with little more than the clothes on their backs, some unaccompanied, and are effectively strangers in their own homeland.
“The scale and pace of people returning to Afghanistan right now is completely unprecedented,” said Samira Sayed Rahman, Advocacy Director at Save the Children in Afghanistan. “We are on the brink of a full-scale humanitarian crisis like we’ve never seen before.”
The crisis is further exacerbated by internal displacement, driven by worsening climate conditions, including severe drought in northern provinces that has devastated crops and water supplies. One in five Afghan children is now facing crisis levels of hunger.
At the same time, international aid cuts have severely impacted humanitarian operations, with agencies overwhelmed by the volume of need.
Save the Children urged regional governments to ensure all returns are voluntary, safe and dignified, particularly for unaccompanied children who are at heightened risk of exploitation and abuse. It also called on the international community to step up emergency funding — both for border support and long-term resettlement assistance.
Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi met on Wednesday with Yasmine Praz Dessimoz, Director General of Operations at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), to discuss Afghanistan’s humanitarian situation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the meeting covered the country’s humanitarian needs, the increasing number of returning migrants, healthcare services, and problems and needs remaining from the war.
The two sides emphasized the importance of continuing and expanding the ICRC’s humanitarian cooperation and expressed readiness for greater coordination in healthcare and other humanitarian areas.
The meeting also highlighted that Afghanistan has emerged from a prolonged period of war and has now entered a new phase of development and economic growth. However, some problems and needs of war victims still require attention.
Security officials in Afghanistan’s northeastern Badakhshan province say the situation in Zebak district is currently stable, but claim that Pakistan is providing shelter and training to opponents of the Islamic Emirate in the Chitral region.
Abdul Basir Mazhari, Badakhshan’s police chief, said opponents of the Islamic Emirate have established shelters and training facilities near the Durand Line in Chitral.
He claimed the groups could attempt to use the Shah Salim Pass to disrupt security in Badakhshan and other northeastern provinces.
“There is evidence that Pakistan has established shelters and training centers for opponents of the government near the Durand Line,” Mazhari said. “Badakhshan is the only province in the north that shares a border with Pakistan, and Pakistan has gathered opponents of the government in Chitral.”
Despite the claims, residents in central Zebak said daily life remains normal and there have been no signs of fighting in the area.
Badakhshan security officials said their forces have been deployed along the Durand Line and remain on standby to respond to any potential threats.
According to local officials, Zebak district has three routes connecting it to areas across the Durand Line, with security forces stationed in the area.
Football fans across Afghanistan can watch Tottenham Hotspur take on Charlton Athletic live on Ariana Television Network (ATN) tonight, Wednesday, August 26, with coverage beginning at 23:15 Kabul time.
The two London clubs meet in the second round of the EFL Cup, with Tottenham looking to progress while Charlton will aim to produce an upset against their Premier League opponents.
Tottenham enter the match as favourites on paper, with their greater top-flight experience expected to make them the stronger side. However, cup football can produce surprises, and Charlton will be looking to take advantage of any opportunity at their disposal.
The match provides Tottenham with another chance to build momentum early in the season, while Charlton will see the tie as an opportunity to test themselves against one of England’s biggest clubs.
The EFL Cup remains an important route to silverware for clubs across the English football pyramid, with teams aiming to advance through each round toward the final at Wembley.
Afghanistan fans can watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Charlton Athletic live tonight on Ariana Television, from 23:15 Kabul time.
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