In brief
More than 1.3 million Afghans have returned to Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan in 2026, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The influx is overloading housing and basic services in already vulnerable regions, and IOM’s chief of mission in Afghanistan is urging donors to close an $8.8 million funding gap to provide shelter and winter supplies before snow cuts access to remote areas.
More than 1.3 million Afghans have returned from neighboring Iran and Pakistan so far in 2026, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Friday, adding a sharp strain on communities that already struggle with inadequate housing and basic services.
The IOM’s report, released from Kabul on 31 October, marked a dramatic acceleration in the return wave that has been ongoing since the Afghan government fell in 2021.
Communities across the country are now racing to accommodate the increasing numbers, with many households already stretched to breaking point by shortages of shelter, clean water and health care.
"Families are returning to communities where housing and basic services are already under severe strain. Winter is now adding another urgent need," said Mihyung Park, IOM's Chief of Mission in Afghanistan.
"We need funding now to help families find shelter and keep warm before snow cuts access to remote areas."
Park highlighted that the icy months ahead could isolate thousands of internally displaced people and recent returnees, making it difficult for humanitarian aid to reach the most vulnerable.
To counter the crisis, the IOM is appealing for donors to close an 8.8 million U.S. dollars inter‑agency funding gap that would fund emergency shelter, winterization kits and essential household items.
She warned that the gap could leave thousands without the means to protect themselves from the cold, potentially turning the country’s remote regions into “locked‑down enclaves” during the storm season.
Pakistan and Iran have also been expanding their operations to help facilitate the return of their Afghan citizens, but the sheer volume of applicants has outpaced the capacity of local aid mechanisms.
The IOM’s data indicates that the return rate peaked in September, with more than 200,000 families arriving in a single week, a figure that dwarfs the average six‑month total of the previous years.
Local officials in provinces such as Helmand and Kandahar have reported overcrowded shelters and a surge in requests for basic utilities, including electricity and sanitation.
In response, the Afghan government has pledged to allocate additional resources to the health and housing ministries, but detailed plans and timelines remain unclear.
Meanwhile, international donors are reviewing their commitments, with some countries indicating they will match the IOM’s request if the funds are sufficient to counter the pending winter threat.
The return surge also poses a risk to the fragile peace that has held in parts of the country, as communities face both logistical and security challenges.
Despite the shortages, many returnees remain hopeful, citing the desire to reunite with family and reestablish livelihoods in their homeland.
As the international community debates the scale of the response, the IOM urges immediate action to safeguard the health and wellbeing of Afghan families before the snow deepens across the nation.