Conditions of Returnees and the Situation at the Border
Those returning to Afghanistan through the Islam Qala border arrive in desperate condition. Humanitarian agencies report that many are exhausted, malnourished, and have few belongings. Some have spent weeks or months in Iranian detention centers before being bussed to the border. Returnees describe being subjected to harsh treatment, arbitrary detention, and forced labor while in Iran.
For those arriving in Herat, the challenges are immense. The city, once a hub of trade and culture, now struggles under the weight of a collapsing economy and a growing refugee crisis. Temporary camps and transit centers at the border are overwhelmed. Shelter, food, clean water, and medical services are in short supply.
Aid agencies, including the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UNHCR, are attempting to provide emergency assistance, but funding gaps and logistical hurdles hamper their efforts. The Taliban government, while pledging to accommodate returnees, lacks the infrastructure and international recognition necessary to manage the crisis effectively.
