Red Cross warns aid for Afghan returnees on brink of collapse

KABUL, Afghanistan (MNTV) — Lifesaving aid for Afghan returnees is on the verge of collapse, with the Red Cross warning that without urgent international support, essential services could shut down entirely—jeopardizing the survival of millions.

Only 10% of the funds required to assist returning migrants have been secured, leaving emergency operations severely under-resourced. As forced deportations from Iran continue to surge, already overwhelmed regions like Islam Qala are facing unprecedented strain.

Thousands of vulnerable families—many returning to nothing—now face hunger, exposure, and lack of medical support as resources dwindle. Border areas, acting as first responders to this crisis, are stretched to breaking point.

“If the international community does not act now, local communities will collapse under the pressure of this mass return,” said Sami Fakhouri, Head of the IFRC Office in Afghanistan. He warned that even critical support like emergency food distribution at border crossings could soon be discontinued.

Humanitarian groups are sounding the alarm as the window to prevent a broader disaster is rapidly closing. Without immediate relief, children, the elderly, and chronically ill returnees face grave risk. The needs are urgent—and growing by the day.

Afghanistan’s fragile health and aid infrastructure—already gutted by years of war, sanctions, and economic isolation—cannot sustain the influx of returnees without outside help. The consequences of inaction will be deadly and far-reaching.