More than 393,000 vulnerable Afghan returnees received humanitarian assistance through an EU-funded IOM programme between March 2025 and May 2026, as Afghanistan faced large-scale returns from neighbouring countries, repeated natural disasters and worsening humanitarian needs, the International Organization for Migration said on Tuesday.
The assistance, supported by European Union Humanitarian Aid, was delivered through border crossings and communities in Herat, Nimroz, Kandahar, Helmand and Nangarhar provinces. It included temporary accommodation, primary healthcare, transportation, multipurpose cash assistance and protection services for people with specific vulnerabilities.
The programme came as Afghanistan experienced a sharp increase in the return of Afghans from Pakistan and Iran. IOM said many returnees had spent years or even decades outside Afghanistan and arrived with limited resources, uncertain livelihoods and few prospects for sustainable reintegration.
Among those receiving targeted support were women-headed households, older people, people with disabilities and families separated during their journeys. IOM said nearly 49,700 people with identified vulnerabilities received individual assistance, including more than 24,700 women.
Health and psychosocial support
The EU-backed programme also expanded access to healthcare and mental health and psychosocial support for returnees, internally displaced people and vulnerable communities in border areas.
According to IOM, its teams provided 72,694 health and psychosocial consultations to 68,454 patients, including 22,510 women. The organisation said these services were particularly important for people returning after prolonged periods abroad and facing uncertainty, displacement and difficult living conditions.
IOM also provided emergency support to 47,757 people affected by floods, earthquakes and harsh winter conditions, while pre-positioning shelter materials and other essential non-food items across the country to enable a faster response to disasters.
IOM Afghanistan Deputy Chief of Mission Izora Maskun said the combination of large-scale returns and recurring disasters was placing “immense pressure” on vulnerable communities and humanitarian services.
Thomas Dehermann-Roy, head of the EU Humanitarian Aid office in Kabul, said many returnees arrive with little or nothing and require immediate access to healthcare, protection, shelter and financial assistance.
Afghanistan faces growing return and reintegration pressures
The latest assistance comes as Afghanistan confronts one of the world’s most prolonged displacement and humanitarian crises. According to the United Nations, nearly 2.7 million Afghans are estimated to return in 2026 alone, while more than 5.9 million returns have been recorded since September 2023.
The scale of returns has placed additional pressure on communities that are already struggling with poverty, limited employment opportunities, inadequate housing and overstretched basic services. Humanitarian agencies have repeatedly warned that large numbers of returnees could face difficulties finding shelter, healthcare, livelihoods and other essential services.
The situation has been particularly challenging following intensified returns from Pakistan and Iran, where Afghan migrants have faced increasing pressure to leave or regularise their status. IOM has warned that the speed and scale of these movements are exceeding the capacity of many communities to absorb returnees.
At the same time, Afghanistan remains highly exposed to natural disasters, including earthquakes, floods and severe winter conditions. These emergencies can further undermine the ability of returnees and host communities to rebuild their livelihoods.
IOM said continued international support will be essential not only for emergency assistance at border crossings but also for protection, healthcare and sustainable reintegration in areas where returnees settle.
The organisation warned that without sustained humanitarian funding and longer-term solutions, the combination of mass returns, poverty, displacement and recurring disasters could further increase pressure on already vulnerable Afghan communities.
