KABUL: The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says nearly 2.9 million Afghan migrants were deported to Afghanistan in 2025, primarily from Iran and Pakistan.
In a report released Tuesday, OCHA said both Iran and Pakistan intensified arrests and forced expulsion of Afghan nationals during the year, particularly in the second half. In July alone, daily deportations from Iran reportedly exceeded 40,000 people.
According to the UN agency, many of those expelled had lived in Iran and Pakistan for years, and some were even born there. However, they were returned under difficult and often coercive circumstances.
“The policy changes, stricter documentation requirements, misinformation, and worsening economic, social, and protection conditions for Afghans in neighboring countries, especially Iran and Pakistan, are key drivers behind the surge in deportations,” said the report.
OCHA added that many returns were made by sudden departures, little time for preparation, abandonment of property, family separations, inhumane detention conditions, and arduous journeys back to Afghanistan.
The report also noted that Tajikistan deported nearly 2,000 Afghan migrants, 1,953 people in 2025.
The UN figures come as Afghan authorities report that hundreds of families continue to be forcibly returned from Pakistan to Afghanistan on a daily basis.
OCHA: Nearly 2.9 million Afghan migrants deported in 2025
