UNHCR Warns of Humanitarian Crisis as Afghan Returns Surge Amid Earthquake

Afghanistan is facing what the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has described as a “crisis within a crisis”, as tens of thousands of returnees are arriving back from Pakistan at the same time communities struggle to recover from a devastating earthquake. The compounding emergencies are overwhelming already fragile systems and deepening humanitarian needs in one of the world’s most vulnerable countries.

Mass Returns Under Adverse Circumstances

Since the beginning of 2024, more than 2.6 million Afghans have returned from neighboring countries, many under pressure and not by choice. A significant share of these returns have been driven by Pakistan’s resumption of its “Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan.” Since April alone, over 554,000 Afghans have crossed back into Afghanistan, including 143,000 in August. The pace has accelerated sharply: in the first week of September nearly 100,000 people returned, straining local communities and humanitarian organizations to the limit.

Many of those returning have lived outside Afghanistan for decades, and some were even born in exile. For them, the return represents not a homecoming but an abrupt arrival in a country grappling with poverty, drought, and political instability, where support systems are limited and opportunities scarce.

Humanitarian Needs and UNHCR’s Response

To help returnees begin rebuilding their lives, UNHCR and partners are providing immediate assistance at border crossings and in areas of return. This includes cash grants, protection services, tents, and other essentials. However, these efforts are being hampered by restrictions imposed by Afghanistan’s de facto authorities, who have prevented national female UN staff from entering UN compounds.

“This is not just a problem for UNHCR but for the entire UN system,” the agency stated. “It is not possible to serve women without female staff.” UNHCR has reiterated its call for the immediate lifting of these restrictions, stressing that women must be able to access life-saving support through female humanitarian workers.

Earthquake Compounds the Crisis

The earthquake that recently struck Afghanistan has only deepened the suffering of affected families. UNHCR reports that some households had only just returned from Pakistan before losing their homes again in the disaster. The agency is distributing thousands of tents, blankets, and relief kits in remote and hard-to-reach areas, while expanding protection assessments and ongoing programmes in quake-hit provinces.

Calls to Pakistan and the Region

Amid these challenges, UNHCR is urging Pakistan to uphold its long-standing humanitarian approach toward Afghan refugees. This includes extending legal stay for those still in need of protection, particularly vulnerable groups at risk if forced to return. The agency has also called on regional governments to ensure all returns are voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable, in line with international standards.

UNHCR has offered to support Pakistan in developing mechanisms to identify individuals with protection needs and in expanding regulated migration pathways for Afghans. The agency also emphasized that no one should be compelled to return to a country already stretched beyond capacity.

Funding Appeal to Sustain Assistance

Despite efforts, UNHCR’s resources are running critically low. Without additional funding, the agency warns it will be unable to sustain life-saving assistance for Afghan families. In light of the recent surge in returns and the earthquake, UNHCR has updated its regional appeal to $258.6 million.

The agency expressed gratitude to governments, companies, and individuals who have already contributed but stressed that far more support is urgently needed. The coming months are expected to be especially challenging as Afghanistan faces overlapping crises, with winter approaching and millions of returnees in desperate need of shelter, food, and protection.

A Crisis That Demands Urgent Solidarity

The unfolding situation underscores the fragility of Afghanistan’s humanitarian landscape. UNHCR warns that without decisive international support, the convergence of forced returns, natural disasters, and entrenched poverty could push millions deeper into hardship.

The agency continues to call on the international community to stand in solidarity with Afghan families, ensure protection for those at risk, and prevent further deterioration of an already dire humanitarian emergency.