TEHRAN – The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has appealed for increased funding, essential supplies, and long-term support to help Afghans returning home from Iran rebuild their lives.

The organization has urged governments, donors, and humanitarian organizations to help refugees, highlighting that the Afghan Red Crescent and its partners are doing all they can, but the scale of need is immense.

The number of Afghans returning from Iran this year has surpassed 800,000, placing overwhelming strain on humanitarian resources and local communities, Amu TV reported.

According to IFRC, more than 137,000 people crossed back into Afghanistan via the Islam Qala border in June alone, many of them arriving exhausted, dehydrated, and lacking basic necessities. The ongoing surge comes from widespread poverty, ongoing conflict recovery, and natural disasters.

“This issue hasn’t received the attention it deserves,” said Alexander Matheou, IFRC’s regional director for Asia Pacific, following a visit to the border over the weekend. “These individuals are not just statistics. They are mothers, fathers, and children returning to a country already facing enormous challenges.”

The returnees, many of whom have lived in Iran or Pakistan for years—sometimes decades—are now arriving in an Afghanistan ill-equipped to absorb them. In addition to the influx from Iran, more than one million people have returned from Pakistan since late 2023, further straining essential services and aid delivery.

At the border, mobile clinics treat at least 500 patients daily, including pregnant women, children, and the elderly. Medical supplies remain scarce, and severe cases are referred to nearby hospitals already stretched to capacity.

After initial registration, returnees are transported to Herat City. But challenges remain steep, particularly for younger Afghans returning to a homeland they barely know. Families face immediate needs for shelter, jobs, and education — all amid a struggling economy and limited state capacity.