OSLO: The Norwegian Refugee Council has reported that more than 28,000 Afghan refugees have returned from Iran since the outbreak of the war, raising alarm over a rapidly deepening humanitarian crisis.
The organisation warned that returnees are in urgent need of food assistance, emergency shelter, clean drinking water, healthcare, and other essential services as they arrive in extremely vulnerable conditions.
Mohammad Shafiq Popal, the council’s regional programme manager, said in a video message from the Afghanistan–Iran border that many of those returning are empty-handed, having lost their homes, livelihoods, and personal belongings due to the escalating conflict.
He emphasised that the situation is likely to worsen, with hundreds of thousands more Afghans expected to cross back into Afghanistan in the coming weeks.
The Norwegian Refugee Council stressed the need for immediate humanitarian response and better coordination among aid agencies, partner organisations, and the Taliban authorities to manage the growing influx.
Without urgent intervention, the mass return could place overwhelming pressure on Afghanistan’s already fragile economy and limited public services.
The council had previously warned about the devastating impact of the war on civilians, particularly Afghan migrants living in Iran.
Many have been residing in urban areas that have been heavily affected by ongoing US and Israeli attacks, further exposing them to displacement, job losses, and insecurity.
According to recent estimates, more than four million Afghans in Iran are among the most at-risk populations.
A significant number of families have lost their only sources of income, pushing them deeper into poverty and forcing many to return under dire circumstances.
Aid groups caution that without sustained international support, the crisis could escalate into a large-scale displacement emergency, worsening food insecurity, unemployment, and regional instability.
