More than 1.3 million Afghans return from Iran and Pakistan in 2026, IOM says

More than 1.3 million Afghans have returned from Iran and Pakistan so far in 2026, the International Organization for Migration said on October 31. The figure covers both voluntary returns and those prompted by policy shifts in the two host countries. Temporary reception facilities have been set up in Kabul and other provinces to process arrivals.

Pakistan and Iran have hosted millions of Afghans for decades, first as refugees from earlier wars and later as labour migrants. In 2026 both countries tightened residency rules and increased deportation operations. Pakistan announced plans to return undocumented Afghans and later extended the measures to some documented groups. Iran has conducted similar sweeps in border provinces. The combined effect has produced the largest return flow in a single year since the early 2000s.

Returnees face limited employment, damaged infrastructure and restricted access to services inside Afghanistan. Many arrive with few belongings. The IOM and other agencies have distributed basic kits and arranged short-term shelter. Longer-term reintegration depends on local economic conditions and on whether the returnees can reclaim property or find work. Rural areas that previously sent migrants abroad now receive them back into communities already under economic pressure.

The returns add to the population that remained in Afghanistan after the 2021 change of government. International aid has declined since then, and formal employment opportunities remain scarce. Some returnees have moved onward to other provinces or attempted to re-cross borders. Officials in Kabul have called for increased international support for reception and livelihood programmes. Neighbouring countries have stated that the returns are necessary for domestic security and labour-market reasons.

Border crossings have seen queues and temporary holding areas. Photographs from early November show groups of men at reception points near Kabul. Women and children form a smaller but still significant share of the flow. Medical screening and documentation checks occur at the temporary camps. Capacity at these sites has been stretched on peak days.

The 1.3 million figure is cumulative for the calendar year through late October. Daily arrival numbers have fluctuated with enforcement intensity on the Iranian and Pakistani sides. Further increases are possible if the host countries accelerate remaining deportations. Humanitarian agencies have warned that additional large-scale returns without corresponding support inside Afghanistan will raise risks of secondary displacement and food insecurity.

Regional governments and the United Nations continue discussions on orderly return procedures and on funding for reintegration. The scale already recorded in 2026 exceeds most prior annual totals and has become a central item in planning for Afghanistan’s near-term population and labour-market conditions.