Over 4,100 Afghan Refugees Return Following Pakistan and Iran Directives

More than 4,100 Afghan refugees, representing 790 families, returned to Afghanistan on July 12, 2026. The majority of these individuals arrived from Pakistan, following directives from the governments of Pakistan and Iran requiring undocumented foreign nationals to vacate their host countries.

The Government of Afghanistan is managing the arrivals, with the Bakhtar News Agency reporting that 772 families have already been transported to their home provinces after receiving assistance at border crossing points.

This surge is part of a larger migration trend. Deputy spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat stated that 76,181 refugees have returned over the last month. Afghan officials estimate that more than 8 million refugees have returned to the country since August 2021.