Ukraine is deporting Afghan refugees to the Taliban

• More than 1.5 million Afghans returned to their homeland in 2025.
• Iran and Pakistan are actively deporting Afghan refugees.
• Experts warn about the risks for women and human rights defenders in Afghanistan.

In 2025, after the fall of Kabul, the situation with Afghan refugees in neighboring countries worsened. According to UN data, over 1.5 million Afghans returned or were forced to return to their homeland this year, including thousands of unaccompanied minors.

Iran, which hosts more than four million Afghans, has begun actively deporting refugees. After the war with Israel in June 2025, the country increased the number of forced returns, citing threats to national security. According to reports, this year alone, 50 thousand people have been forcibly returned.

Similarly to Iran, Pakistan has also started deporting Afghans, including those with documents. According to the data from the International Crisis Group, more than two-thirds of deported individuals had not lived in Afghanistan, but their families fled the conflict decades ago.

In addition, in the USA, the Trump administration is seeking to revoke the temporary protected status of over 12 thousand Afghans, while a court has paused this decision. In Tajikistan, they have also announced the return of Afghan refugees.

Experts from the UN warn that former government officials, human rights defenders, and women who actively fought for their rights face a particular risk if they are returned to conditions where they can no longer study or work.

Critics note that governments of many countries, including the West, bear no responsibility for this crisis, especially since poorer countries remain alone with a large number of refugees.

Tags: Politics