The UN’s special rapporteur on Afghanistan has called for urgent action to address the root causes of Afghan migration after 19 Afghan migrants died while attempting to reach Iran through smuggling routes in Nimroz province.
Richard Bennett, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, said the international community and Afghanistan’s de facto authorities must address the conditions forcing Afghans to undertake “desperate and dangerous” migration journeys.
In a post on X on Saturday, August 1, Bennett expressed condolences to the families of the 19 Afghan citizens who died while attempting to cross into Iran through remote desert routes in Nimroz province.
Describing the incident as “horrific” and “deeply shocking,” Bennett said the tragedy underscored the urgent need to tackle the economic, humanitarian and social factors that continue to push Afghans toward life-threatening irregular migration.
His remarks followed the recovery of the bodies of 19 Afghan migrants from a remote desert area near the Afghan-Iranian border. Local authorities said the group became lost while travelling through smuggling routes and are believed to have died from extreme heat, dehydration and exhaustion.
According to Taliban-appointed officials in Nimroz, the bodies were found in the Dasht-e Marko area near Gard Lalo, approximately 63 kilometres from the Milak border crossing with Iran. Authorities said the victims were among a group attempting to enter Iran through illegal routes after losing their way in the desert.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) also expressed sympathy with the victims’ families, saying every life lost along migration routes represents a profound humanitarian tragedy. The agency has repeatedly warned about the growing dangers facing Afghans attempting irregular migration through deserts, mountains and other hazardous routes.
The latest deaths highlight a broader pattern of dangerous migration from Afghanistan, where poverty, unemployment, humanitarian hardship and limited livelihood opportunities continue to drive many people to seek work and safety abroad despite the significant risks.
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) previously warned about the dangers of the Nimroz migration route after the first victims from the same group were discovered, saying the incident illustrated the heavy human cost of irregular migration.
Humanitarian agencies have repeatedly called for greater economic support, expanded protection measures and safer migration pathways for vulnerable Afghans, warning that worsening economic conditions and large-scale population movements are increasing reliance on human smuggling networks.
Bennett said preventing similar tragedies requires more than emergency responses, urging governments and international partners to address the structural conditions that compel Afghans to risk their lives in search of safety and livelihoods.
