'Emergency' at Afghan border as migrant returns from Iran surge ahead of deadline
In late May, Iran said undocumented Afghans must leave the country by July 6, potentially impacting four million people, out of the six million Afghans Tehran says live in the country.
Numbers of people crossing the border have surged since mid-June, with a peak of more than 43,000 people crossing at Islam Qala in western Herat province on July 1, the UN refugee agency UNHCR said on Friday.
The UN migration agency IOM said more than 250,000 Afghans returned from Iran in June.
UNICEF country representative Tajudeen Oyewale said this was an "emergency" situation in a country already facing a "chronic returnee crisis", with 1.4 million Afghans returning from traditional hosts Iran and Pakistan this year.
"What is concerning is that 25 percent of all these returnees are children... because the demographics have shifted" from individual men to whole families, crossing the border with scant belongings and money, he told AFP on Thursday.
He noted Islam Qala could accommodate the vast numbers but was inadequately equipped in terms of services, saying, "When you start hitting more than 20,000 people (a day) that is completely beyond the planning scenario that we have".
The agency has engaged emergency processes to ramp up water and sanitation systems built for 7-10,000 people a day, along with vaccinations, nutrition and child-friendly spaces.
Many people crossing reported pressure from authorities or even arrest and deportation.
"Some people are so afraid that they don't leave the house themselves... They send their young children out just for a piece of bread, and even those children get arrested sometimes," said 38-year-old Aref Atayi of the pressures Afghans face in Iran.
"Even if I have to beg in my own country, it's still better than staying in a place where we're treated like this," he told AFP on Saturday, as he waited at the IOM-run reception centre for some support to help his family resettle.
Massive foreign aid cuts have impacted the response to the crisis, with the UN, international non-governmental groups and Taliban officials calling for more funding to support the returnees.
The UN has warned the influx could destabilise the country already grappling with entrenched poverty, unemployment and climate change-related shocks and urged countries not to forcibly return Afghans.
str-sw/mtp

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
OPEC Production Increase Misguides Markets
Global oil markets are again showing the impact of emotions and misinterpretation. The so-called surprise production increase taken by eight (8) leading members of OPEC is, in principle, not relevant for fundamentals or market stability, as it is only an indication. The presented production increase is based on raising the OPEC production ceiling—not to be taken as opening the valves to flood markets. At the same time, international media are again treating the situation as set in stone, while most headlines indicate that it is a strategic decision made by OPEC+, the ongoing cooperation between OPEC and non-OPEC members such as Russia and Kazakhstan. The latter is entirely incorrect, as the production ceiling decision was made by a select group of OPEC members, excluding Moscow and others. Where markets are also wrong is in not taking into account that major oil producers and OPEC members, such as Iran, are not even involved in the ongoing discussions regarding the unwinding of OPEC production quotas. Statements like 'the global oil market is entering uncharted territory' or 'OPEC+ is accelerating its production increases' are based on biased assessments that don't reflect real facts on the ground. Even the two main production increases announced by OPEC in the last month didn't result in an oil glut, as most member countries didn't fill their new quota volumes. Some even needed to cut their existing export volumes to comply with OPEC agreements. For Russia and others, global oil markets are not determined by OPEC or OPEC+, but by sanctions (in Russia's case) or the appetite of importers in Asia to absorb volumes. Most analysts also underestimate U.S. shale oil production and the willingness of the world's largest producer, the U.S., to compete for market share. While drilling is under pressure, U.S. shale oil and petroleum exports continue to increasing geopolitical and geo-economic conflicts—particularly in the Middle East, Ukraine, and potentially Asia—demand for oil and gas remains robust. This indicates promising upside in the months ahead. China's latest economic figures show 5% GDP growth in H1 2025, remarkable given the Trump tariff war and broader Western economic pressure. Doomsday scenarios about peaking demand or an Asian market implosion are driving current bearish oil views. While OPEC has raised production ceilings—137,000 bpd in April, 411,000 bpd in May and June, and now targeting 548,000 bpd in August—prices haven't collapsed as feared. The extra barrels may pressure prices, but no crash appears imminent. OPEC-8 strategies need reassessment. Saudi Arabia and the UAE seem to have deprioritized price stability in favor of regaining market share and boosting exports. Unlike past market-share battles, today's economic conditions appear more favorable, giving producers confidence to act. Officially, production agreements show increased volumes, but real-world output remains below those levels. Most OPEC producers are still unable to meet their quotas. Thus, fears of a glut are overblown. The main parties affected won't be consumers or producers, but international oil companies. While margins may tighten—as Shell has warned—the situation is not dire. Shell's comments about a fragile H2 2025 shouldn't spark panic. Bullish signals remain: renewed Houthi activity in the Red Sea, threats against Iran, Russia's economic decline, and growing demand for private power generation all support the case for higher oil prices. Despite IMF concerns, ROW markets—especially Africa and Asia—are driving demand growth. Even in OECD markets, demand stays strong despite EV adoption. One simple fact remains: Western governments earn more from one barrel of oil than OPEC does. By Cyril Widdershoven for More Top Reads From this article on Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
President Donald Trump on attack at Al Udeid: Iran got revenge out of its 'system'
WASHINGTON — Iran's first major response to the June 21 U.S. attack on its nuclear facilities appears to have been mostly foiled and launched against a base that had been largely evacuated, according to U.S. officials. What comes next? A spiraling conflict or an uneasy, unspoken ceasefire? President Donald Trump signaled its the latter with Iran getting revenge out of its "system." Iran targeted, Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the sprawling command center for the Pentagon's air war operations in the Middle East, with a barrage of short- and medium-range ballistic missiles. There were no U.S. casualties, according to a Defense official who was not authorized to speak publicly. There about 10,000 U.S. troops stationed at Al Udeid, on the outskirts of Qatar's capital of Doha. Its air operations center has overseen fighters, bombers and drones that have conducted combat missions in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. Dignitaries make stops there frequently, including Trump and secretaries of Defense. The Qatari military shot down most if not all the missiles, according to a second U.S. official who also was not authorized to speak publicly. Trump, in a social media post, said 13 of the 14 missiles were intercepted and one caused "hardly any damage." Iran gave advance notice of the attack, Trump said, and that with that volley of missiles they had "gotten it all out of their 'system.'" Iran could continue to fire missiles at bases housing 40,000 U.S. troops in the Middle East. Its missiles have the range to hit all of them, the second official said. The official agreed with Trump that, just as likely, Iran could cite Monday's attack as its response to "Operation Midnight Hammer" and stand down, the official said. For two weeks, Israel has conducted punishing raids on Israel, destroying much of its air defense and leaving it vulnerable to attack. The June 21 attack by the Pentagon employed the world's most potent bunker-buster bombs and has damaged if not destroyed a good portion of its nuclear enterprise, Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters Sunday. A more thorough assessment of the damage at Fodrow, Natanz and Isfahan will take time, he said. More: How does a bunker-buster bomb work? A closer look at the GBU-57 Michael O'Hanlon, a military expert at the Brookings Institution, said Trump and the Pentagon would be wise to read Iran's intent behind its counterattack and wait to determine if a response is warranted. 'With this attack, Iran is signaling a desire to save face while deescalating,' O'Hanlon said. 'I'd be inclined to let it be, especially because other things are still unfolding — specifically, our efforts to figure out what really happened at Fordow in terms of bomb damage assessment and consider next steps from there. We don't need to worry about face ourselves, in my judgment.' Trump has shown a willingness to end the cycle of tit-for-tat attacks with Iran. In 2020, he ordered the killing by drone of Qasem Soleimani, the Iranian general who led its Quds Force. Iran responded by attacking al Asad Air Base in western Iraq, wounding more than 100 U.S. troops. Trump downplayed the significance of Iran's response and did not retaliate. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump: attack on Al Udeid got revenge out of Iran's 'system'

Washington Post
2 hours ago
- Washington Post
Houthis claim Red Sea ship sinking, exchange missiles with Israel
Amid sensitive talks over a potential Israel-Hamas ceasefire in Gaza, and as Iran considers renewed nuclear negotiations, violence is flaring in another of the region's interlinked conflicts: between Israel and Yemen's Houthis. Iran-backed Houthi militants said they attacked and sank with missiles and drones a Suez-bound, Liberia-flagged cargo ship in the Red Sea on Sunday, forcing the crew to abandon ship.