IOM Seeks $8.8 Million for 1.3 Million Afghan Returnees

The International Organization for Migration reports that more than 1.3 million Afghans returned to Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan during 2026. This accelerating wave of returns has placed severe strain on housing and basic services within receiving communities.

With winter approaching, the organization warns that snowfall may soon isolate remote areas, creating an urgent need for shelter and heating. To address the crisis, the agency is seeking 8.8 million U.S. dollars in inter-agency funding to provide winterization kits, emergency shelter, and essential household items for returnees and internally displaced people.

Mihyung Park, the IOM Chief of Mission in Afghanistan, stated that families are returning to communities where services are already under severe strain and emphasized that funding is needed immediately before snow cuts access to remote regions.