Afghanistan Times
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KABUL – UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi arrived in the Afghan capital on Saturday amid a dramatic surge in the number of Afghans being deported from neighboring countries, raising alarm among humanitarian agencies and international observers. Over the past seven months, an estimated 1.9 million Afghans—many of them vulnerable women and children—have returned from Iran and Pakistan, with 60% reportedly expelled under forced return measures.
Grandi’s visit comes at a critical time for Afghanistan, as the country grapples with the pressure of mass returns in the midst of economic collapse, limited public services, and ongoing humanitarian challenges. Speaking to local media, Sheikh Kaleem-ur-Rahman Fani, deputy minister of the Taliban-led Ministry of Refugees, said resolving refugee issues must be a “shared responsibility,” and urged the international community to shift from short-term aid to long-term support in housing, education, and healthcare.
Grandi affirmed the UN’s commitment to Afghanistan, even as global aid budgets tighten. He is expected to travel to Herat in western Afghanistan to assess conditions on the ground, where many returnees are struggling to find shelter and basic services.
The visit closely follows a statement by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, who on Friday called for an immediate end to forced returns, warning that many of the deported Afghans face persecution and are returning to a country unable to meet their basic needs. Türk described the situation as a “multi-layered human rights crisis.”
In parallel diplomatic efforts, Taliban officials met with UK representatives to request targeted international support. According to state-run Bakhtar News Agency, Interim Refugees Minister Mawlavi Abdul Kabir met with UK Charge d’Affaires Robert Chatterton Dickson and British Embassy official Richard Lindsay, appealing for assistance in constructing housing for returnees and stabilizing local communities.
The UK delegation also held talks with Afghanistan’s acting Public Health Minister, Mawlavi Noor Jalal Jalali. Discussions focused on strengthening healthcare delivery, training Afghan medical staff, and improving access to services for vulnerable populations, especially those returning from abroad.
British diplomats expressed ongoing support for humanitarian efforts and underscored the importance of sustained international cooperation in rebuilding critical infrastructure in Afghanistan.
With deportations continuing and pressure growing on Afghanistan’s already fragile systems, Grandi’s visit marks a pivotal moment for the international community to reassess its engagement with a country that remains isolated diplomatically but central to the region’s humanitarian dynamics.
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