Afghanistan’s Return Crisis: Why Sending People Back Is Not a Durable Solution — The Diplomat

In August 2021, following the Taliban’s return to power, governments around the world scrambled to evacuate Afghans facing immediate protection concerns. An estimated 124,000 people were evacuated in the weeks following the shift in leadership. Many others joined the millions of Afghans already living in neighboring countries such as Iran and Pakistan. Five years on, the policy environment has shifted dramatically. In neighboring countries, but also in Europe, the focus has evolved from a policy of protection to one of return. This shift assumes that return – particularly in the current context – represents a durable solution. This policy shift is occurring against a backdrop of fragility and uncertainty in Afghanistan, whereby the underlying drivers of displacement remain the same. Since 2023, more than 6 million Afghans have returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan and Iran. Recent research by the Mixed Migration Centre (MMC) shows that approximately 80 percent of surveyed Afghan returnees had been deported or expelled, meaning a significant portion of individuals returned involuntarily. Their return to Afghanistan was under conditions of pressure, compulsion, coercion, or direct involuntary return. For many returnees, this has meant leaving behind friends, family, possessions, livelihoods, and support networks. Many arrive with no housing, limited livelihoods, and scarce employment opportunities. This sets the foundation for significant difficulty in reintegration. These difficulties are likely to…