At the border between Iran and Afghanistan, the ongoing exodus has seen nearly 20,000 Afghans crossing daily. They arrive, bewildered and distressed, having been expelled without warning during a crackdown on undocumented refugees by the Iranian government. As of now, the United Nations reports that since January, more than 1.4 million Afghans have either fled or been deported, a surge that has accelerated following the recent conflict between Israel and Iran. Just in the past month, over 500,000 Afghans have been returned, thrusting them back into a nation already embroiled in humanitarian crises and strict limitations on women and girls.
Many of these deported individuals found themselves at a processing facility in Islam Qala, a town near the Afghan border with Iran, where the conditions are overcrowded and tensions high. Returnees expressing their dismay voiced uncertainty about how they would navigate their futures in a homeland where many felt disconnected—some having lived in Iran for decades. "I worked in Iran for 42 years, so hard that my knees are broken, and for what?" lamented Mohammad Akhundzada, a construction worker who now finds himself amongst the displaced.
The unfolding situation illustrates the challenges of reintegration and survival for Afghans returning to a landscape riddled with hardship, where many are struggling to find their footing amidst cultural and economic upheaval. As they gather at border facilities, they contend with an overwhelming sense of hopelessness and loss, questioning where they can go from here.
Many of these deported individuals found themselves at a processing facility in Islam Qala, a town near the Afghan border with Iran, where the conditions are overcrowded and tensions high. Returnees expressing their dismay voiced uncertainty about how they would navigate their futures in a homeland where many felt disconnected—some having lived in Iran for decades. "I worked in Iran for 42 years, so hard that my knees are broken, and for what?" lamented Mohammad Akhundzada, a construction worker who now finds himself amongst the displaced.
The unfolding situation illustrates the challenges of reintegration and survival for Afghans returning to a landscape riddled with hardship, where many are struggling to find their footing amidst cultural and economic upheaval. As they gather at border facilities, they contend with an overwhelming sense of hopelessness and loss, questioning where they can go from here.
