The escalating Middle East conflict has intensified humanitarian challenges for Afghan children returning from Iran, with UNICEF warning of immediate risks to vulnerable families. Over 3 million Afghans returned to their homeland in 2025, 60% of whom were families with children, according to a report released on Wednesday.
UNICEF Representative Tajudeen Oyewale described scenes of exhaustion at border crossings like Islam Qala in Herat province, where mothers and children arrive daily with urgent needs. "If arrivals increase as expected, the risks facing children will grow as well," he stated, emphasizing the strain on Afghanistan’s already fragile support systems.
The agency is calling for expanded access to nutrition, healthcare, and sanitation services to address what it calls a "crisis within a crisis." The situation underscores broader regional instability, as cross-border tensions continue to displace populations and stretch resources.
