{
  "id": 4792873,
  "title": "'I've never been to Afghanistan': Six million deportees forced to start over under the Taliban",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/01/ive-never-been-to-afghanistan-six-million-deportees-forced-to-start-4792873",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-01T05:00:34.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "BBC World",
    "slug": "bbc-world",
    "url": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2e074nn8eko?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The elderly shuffle slowly, assisted by crutches, while wide-eyed children clutch chickens, reminders of homes they were compelled to abandon. For 35-year-old Nazia, stepping into Afghanistan for the first time after crossing the Torkham border is both poignant and disheartening. \"I've never been to Afghanistan before,\" she sighs, acknowledging the hardships that await. \"Many people here don't even have enough bread to eat.\"\n\nNearly every member of her family—eight sisters and their children—were deported from Pakistan or Iran this year, part of the largest movement of people ever recorded. As the Taliban has cracked down on undocumented migrants, Nazia and her family are among the one million forced to return from Pakistan and Iran to Afghanistan since August 2021. The UN and human rights groups warn that this security sweep extends beyond undocumented Afghans to registered ones as well.\n\nWhile the UNHCR spokesperson Charlie Goodlake notes that this simultaneous return movement represents a scale never seen before, the landscape of tarpaulin and plastic shelters at Torkham is a stark testament to the dire conditions. Many returnees have not set foot in Afghanistan in decades, and some like Nazia have never been here at all. \"I left 45 years ago during the Soviet invasion,\" explains Sarwar, who arrived with seven brothers and their families. \"Most of my brothers were born in Pakistan. I spent a long time there, so I feel heartbroken to be forced out of our home again.\"\n\nDespite the pain, there is a glimmer of hope: \"I am finally free of harassment by Pakistan's police.\" The Pakistan government, however, denies allegations of harassment, stating that sporadic instances are dealt with under the law. Iran, too, is expelling Afghans, citing security risks and financial burdens, particularly after its 12-day war with Israel and the US in June 2025. The UN, while emphasizing the humanitarian principle of voluntary, safe, and dignified returns, acknowledges the challenges returnees face, including the Taliban's restrictions on women's rights and the grim uncertainty of their future livelihoods.",
  "summary": "As of August, the number forced to return this year from Pakistan and Iran had reached another million.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "BBC News",
        "title": "'I've never been to Afghanistan': Six million deportees forced to start over under the Taliban",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/01/ive-never-been-to-afghanistan-six-million-deportees-forced-to-start",
        "published": "2026-09-01T05:00:34.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}