A massive and desperate exodus of Afghan refugees is underway, with thousands fleeing into Iran each week to escape brutal Taliban rule and the looming threat of forced deportation from Pakistan, The Independent can reveal.
Eyewitness accounts and data from the border region paint a picture of a severe and escalating humanitarian crisis. Families are making perilous journeys, often under cover of darkness, to avoid detection.
A Flood of Refugees
Local sources in Herat, a major Afghan province bordering Iran, report a staggering surge in crossings. An estimated 5,000 people are now leaving every day, a number that has skyrocketed in recent weeks.
This mass migration is being driven by two powerful forces:
- Systematic Taliban Oppression: Since retaking power, the Taliban's harsh regime has targeted former government officials, security personnel, and anyone perceived as opposing their rule.
- Pakistan's Deportation Ultimatum: Islamabad's order for all undocumented migrants to leave or face forcible removal has sent a wave of panic through the massive Afghan community living there.
Perilous Journeys and Human Suffering
The routes into Iran are notoriously dangerous, controlled by people smugglers who exploit the vulnerable. Refugees face the risks of extortion, violence, and treacherous terrain.
"The situation is dire," a source stated. "People are selling everything they have to pay smugglers. They are choosing the unknown dangers of Iran over the certain threat they face at home."
Many of those fleeing are educated professionals, activists, and women who fear for their futures and basic freedoms under the Taliban's restrictive policies.
International Response and Warnings
Human rights organisations and the United Nations have issued urgent warnings, criticising both the Taliban's governance and Pakistan's deportation policy for creating a perfect storm of displacement.
They argue that returning individuals to Afghanistan is a clear violation of international law, given the well-documented risks of persecution and the country's profound economic and humanitarian collapse.
The international community faces mounting pressure to address this growing crisis and provide support to the countries bearing the immediate brunt of this refugee flow.
