Red Cross Warns of Growing Wave of Returnees to Afghanistan

The Red Cross has warned that another million people could be forcibly deported from Iran to Afghanistan in the coming months, intensifying pressure on the already strained humanitarian aid system. Since the start of the year, over 1.2 million Afghans have been returned from Iran, with numbers surging following recent strikes between Iran and Israel.

Sami Fakhouri, Head of Delegation for Afghanistan at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, described witnessing busloads of returnees arriving at the Islam Qala border crossing in Herat province. He expressed concern that by the end of this year, the number of returnees could reach or exceed one million, many of whom left Afghanistan years ago and now face homelessness.

He explained that most of these individuals had no say in their deportation, often being transported on buses to the border without prior notice. “Many didn’t choose to come back. They were simply put on buses and driven to the border,” he said during a Geneva press briefing.

This influx comes as Afghanistan grapples with a worsening humanitarian crisis. Aid organizations worry that additional arrivals from Iran, compounded by recent deportations from Pakistan, could destabilize the country further.

Fakhouri highlighted that the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ appeal for 25 million Swiss francs (approximately 31.4 million dollars) to support returnees at the border and in transit camps is only ten percent funded, raising concerns about ongoing support.

Babar Baloch, a spokesperson for the UN refugee agency, added that tens of thousands are arriving daily from Iran, with more than 50,000 crossing just on July 4. He also raised alarm over the psychological toll on those forced to return, emphasizing that family separations and trauma are likely to leave lasting scars on Afghan returnees.