Afghan Children Returning from Iran Face Growing Humanitarian Crisis: UNICEF Warns.
Geneva/Islam Qala:
The UNICEF has raised serious concerns over the worsening humanitarian situation faced by Afghan children returning from Iran, warning that thousands are arriving in distress and in urgent need of support amid rising regional instability.
Addressing a press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Tajudeen Oyewale, UNICEF Representative in Afghanistan, highlighted that escalating conflict in the Middle East is triggering cross-border impacts, forcing Afghan families to return under difficult and uncertain conditions. Many are entering Afghanistan through border crossings such as Islam Qala, often exhausted, disoriented, and unsure of their future.
Oyewale emphasized that children are at the center of this crisis, with many mothers arriving at reception centers carrying young children who are visibly weak and in need of immediate care. He warned that if the number of returnees continues to rise, the risks facing children will increase significantly.
The trend of mass returns is not new. In 2025 alone, nearly three million Afghans returned from neighboring countries, mainly Iran and Pakistan, with approximately 60 percent being families with children. Many of those currently arriving have endured extremely difficult journeys, lacking access to food, healthcare, and basic information about their next steps.
Particular concern has been raised for unaccompanied and separated children, who are especially vulnerable to exploitation, violence, and trafficking. UNICEF has stressed the urgent need for family tracing and reunification efforts, along with immediate protection services. At the peak of last year’s influx, the agency supported more than 8,000 such children.
In coordination with UNHCR and other humanitarian partners, UNICEF is working to provide essential services at border points and reception centers. These include nutrition screening, access to safe drinking water, vaccination drives, primary healthcare, and child protection measures.
However, the crisis extends beyond border crossings. Families returning through Islam Qala are moving into communities already struggling with limited resources. Any further increase in arrivals is expected to put additional pressure on fragile systems, including healthcare, nutrition services, and water supply.
Afghanistan is already grappling with multiple humanitarian challenges, with an estimated 11 million children in need of assistance. For returning families with limited means, the risk of malnutrition and disease is particularly high, especially among young children and pregnant or breastfeeding women.
Compounding the crisis are disruptions in global supply chains, which are delaying the delivery of critical aid supplies. UNICEF warned that such delays could prevent malnourished children from receiving life-saving therapeutic food in time.
The situation is further strained by tensions along the Afghanistan–Pakistan border, where nearly 164,000 people are currently internally displaced. Among them are around 30,000 survivors of last year’s earthquakes who have been forced to flee once again, deepening their vulnerability.
UNICEF has called for urgent international support, noting that the Humanitarian Response Plan for Afghanistan remains severely underfunded, with only a fraction of required resources secured. The agency is appealing to donors, private sector partners, and global stakeholders to assist in the rapid airlifting of essential supplies, including nutrition, healthcare, and sanitation materials.
“Our message is simple,” Oyewale stated. “Children must be protected and supported at every stage when they need us the most.” UNICEF reaffirmed its commitment to scaling up its response in collaboration with partners to ensure that vulnerable children and families receive the assistance they urgently require.
