As the world marks International Migrants Day on Thursday, the unfolding narrative in Afghanistan is one of resilience and uncertainty.
The forced return of thousands from neighboring countries is reshaping lives: many families are coming back to a homeland they barely know, striving to rebuild amid fragile security and limited support.
The Torkham border crossing, Afghanistan’s main gateway with neighboring Pakistan, remains crowded around the clock as thousands of returnees arrive daily. Yet the once-busy trade corridor tells a different story: border tensions have halted commercial traffic, leaving long lines of idle trucks stranded on both sides of the border.
Among them is Noor Rahman, who spent 14 years as a refugee in Pakistan, running a second-hand goods shop in Islamabad. His five children were born and raised abroad. Now settled with his family in a temporary camp, he waits to return to his home province and start anew.
“Here, the facilities are plentiful, and the arrangements are excellent; they provide us with meals at every mealtime,” Noor Rahman told Xinhua. Still, his hopes are fixed on the future. “I urge the government to create educational opportunities for my children and employment opportunities for myself.”
Nearby, 16-year-old Assadullah, born in Pakistan, knows little of Afghanistan. Forced back with his parents and sisters, he worries about an education suddenly interrupted. “Since arriving here, we have no information about what we should do or what we shouldn’t,” he said.
The journey home is only the first challenge. Mohammad Nabi, recently returned with his nine-member family, lamented the hardship that awaits. “If the government cooperates with us by providing land and creating employment opportunities, we will start our work in our own homeland.” For now, his needs are immediate: “We are in need of cash, food supplies, and clothing.”
Behind these individual stories lies a staggering reality. According to the UNHCR, about 2.7 million Afghans have returned from Iran, Pakistan, and other countries this year alone. Since August 2021, Afghan authorities said more than 7.1 million refugees have returned.
Responding to the crisis, the Afghan government has established a special commission to deliver essential services to returnees. Mullah Mohammad Hashim Maiwandwal, director of the Omari refugees’ camp in Torkham, explained that the body provides shelter, food, clean water, medical aid, transportation, and other services.
“Previously, UNHCR and IOM provided substantial assistance, but now their aid has significantly decreased,” Maiwandwal told Xinhua. “However, the Islamic Emirate is providing 10,000 afghanis (about 150 U.S. dollars) in aid to each returnee family.”
For each family arriving at the camp, the journey to their home province costs between 15,000 and 20,000 afghanis (about 226 to 300 U.S. dollars), expenses fully covered by the government. Yet, with trade halted by recent border tensions and the once-busy highway now lined with waiting trucks, the path to stability remains steep.
The humanitarian crisis is deepening. According to John Aylieff, country director of the World Food Program (WFP) in Afghanistan, forced returns, prolonged drought, and a sharp decline in food assistance have pushed the country into a hunger emergency affecting nearly 17 million people.
As International Migrants Day turns global attention to the contributions and courage of those on the move, Afghanistan’s story is still unfolding one of return and hardship, but also of enduring hope for a better life at home.
