UNHCR: 6 Million Refugees Returned to Afghanistan in Three Years

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports that nearly 6 million citizens have returned to Afghanistan from abroad in less than three years. The organization assessed this scale of return as unprecedented in modern history.

UNHCR emphasized that the return of refugees and asylum seekers must be voluntary, safe, and conducted with respect for human dignity. The organization called on the international community not to forget Afghanistan and the needs of millions of returning citizens.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations of the Taliban government in Afghanistan reported that recently alone, approximately 400 Afghan refugees were returned home after being released from prisons in Pakistan.

In recent years, Pakistan has tightened its migration policy toward Afghan refugees and asylum seekers. Pakistani authorities have detained thousands of people, and hundreds of thousands have been deported from the country. According to UNHCR, in just a few months of 2026, more than 400,000 Afghans returned home from Pakistan. Thousands of others also leave the country every day.

Iran has also intensified the deportation of Afghan migrants in 2025 and 2026. According to United Nations data, hundreds of thousands were returned from Iran to Afghanistan this year alone, and the majority of these returns were forced.

In Germany, the return of certain Afghan citizens has also been discussed in recent years, particularly those convicted of serious crimes, as well as individuals whom authorities consider a threat to public safety. Despite this, deportations from Germany are carried out in very small numbers compared to Pakistan and Iran, and each case is considered individually.

In recent years, Tajikistan has also deported dozens of Afghan citizens from the country. At the same time, international organizations emphasize that given the humanitarian situation and human rights conditions in Afghanistan, any return of refugees must be carried out in accordance with international standards, taking into account the principle of voluntary return.