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US Attacks on Chabahar Port Disrupt Cargo Traffic, Threatening Afghanistan’s Trade Routes

July 13, 2026 Current News Articles

Khaama Press

July 13, 2026

*PHoto: US launched fresh strikes on Iran’s Chahbahar port.*

US strikes targeting infrastructure at Iran’s Chabahar Port have raised fresh concerns over Afghanistan’s access to regional trade, threatening one of the country’s main alternatives to Pakistani transit routes at a time when Kabul is seeking to reduce its dependence on Pakistan for overseas commerce.

US military strikes targeting infrastructure at Iran’s Chabahar Port have intensified concerns over Afghanistan’s external trade, with analysts warning that any prolonged disruption could undermine one of Kabul’s most important alternatives to Pakistani transit routes.

According to reports by The Times of India, the strikes damaged Chabahar’s vessel traffic control tower, disrupting operations at the strategic port that India has developed since 2016 to connect with Afghanistan and Central Asia while bypassing Pakistan.

The attacks come amid escalating military exchanges between Washington and Tehran, adding uncertainty to commercial shipping and regional logistics across the Gulf.

For Afghanistan, the significance extends beyond India. Chabahar has become a cornerstone of efforts to diversify trade routes and reduce reliance on Pakistan, whose border closures, political tensions and recurring transit restrictions have repeatedly disrupted Afghan imports and exports over the past several years.

Relations between Pakistan and the Taliban administration have deteriorated over disputes involving border security, cross-border militancy and the deportation of Afghan migrants. The tensions have frequently spilled over into trade, with prolonged closures at key crossings such as Torkham and Spin Boldak, stricter customs procedures and periodic restrictions on Afghanistan transit goods, prompting Kabul to seek more reliable regional alternatives.

The Taliban administration has increasingly promoted Iran as a strategic trade partner. In November 2025, Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar urged Afghan traders to expand the use of Iranian ports, particularly Chabahar, as part of a broader policy to diversify Afghanistan’s trade corridors and reduce dependence on Pakistani transit.

The Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) has stated that most Afghanistan imports and exports pass through Bandar Abbas, while Chabahar remains an important complementary gateway, particularly for trade with India.

According to World Bank data, Afghanistan exported goods worth $79.2 million in May 2026, with India accounting for 34 percent of total exports, making it the country’s largest export destination during the month. Maintaining uninterrupted access to Indian markets is considered critical for Afghanistan exports, particularly fresh and dried fruits, carpets, medicinal plants and minerals.

Economists also note that Chabahar provides Afghanistan with access not only to India but also to Gulf markets, East Africa and Southeast Asia, reducing the country’s dependence on a single transit corridor and strengthening its long-term trade resilience.

The latest strikes underscore how regional conflicts increasingly affect Afghanistan’s economy despite the country not being directly involved in the fighting. With Pakistan remaining an unreliable transit route and Iran’s transport infrastructure now facing growing security risks, Afghan traders are confronting renewed uncertainty over access to international markets.

Inside Herat, Where a Taliban Campaign Targets a Cosmopolitan Outpost

July 13, 2026 Current News Articles

Reporting from Herat, Afghanistan

The New York Times

July 12, 2026

Afghanistan’s leader has exerted full control over a city that once enjoyed looser social norms, even under Taliban rule.

Province by province, the Taliban government’s leader, Sheikh Haibatullah Akhundzada, has tightened his grip over Afghanistan. With a recent show of force in the western city of Herat, he has asserted control over one of the last havens where people had still been able to quietly ignore some of the Taliban’s restrictions.

Since retaking power in 2021, the Taliban have enforced a rigid set of rules about religious practice, dress and daily life. Across Afghanistan, women and girls face restrictions on access to education, most jobs and travel. But in some parts of Herat, the country’s third-largest city, men kept their beards short and women wore heels and makeup — despite the Taliban’s dress codes.

Now, that’s changing.

I traveled to Herat in June and found that these pockets of resistance to the Taliban are disappearing.

Sheikh Akhundzada’s morality police have arrested dozens of people over the last few weeks. Many women said they now avoided leaving their homes out of fear of being caught in the wave of arrests. Some people had even protested, a rare act of public resistance, but the Taliban cracked down on them, too.

She and most of the two dozen other residents, religious leaders, human rights defenders and teachers interviewed in Herat asked to be identified only by their first names, or to remain anonymous because of fear of retaliation by the Taliban.

They described an intense new climate of fear and intimidation that has settled over vast parts of one of Afghanistan’s most cosmopolitan cities.

The Taliban government has already silenced most dissenting voices. But critics say that it may be squeezing Afghanistan’s diverse society to the point of upheaval.

“Why are they intensifying religious pressure every day?” Ayatollah Gholam Abbas Waezi Zadeh, a leading Shiite cleric, said in a speech in May. “When the pressure becomes too high, an explosion will inevitably occur.”

Herat, home to a large Shiite Muslim population, has never been a stronghold for the Taliban, who are Sunni Muslims. During the civil war that led to the Taliban’s first rule in the 1990s, Herat was the home base for some of the group’s fiercest rivals. And it was among the last cities to fall to the group in August 2021.

Herat may not be as liberal as other cities like Kabul, the capital, or Mazar-i-Sharif, in the country’s north. Still, on my previous trips to the city, last summer and in March, I saw schoolgirls wearing loose head scarves that let a sliver of hair show, and many women wearing jeans or colorful shawls.

One neighborhood, Jebrail, has long embodied that quiet resistance. It is home to tens of thousands of families from the predominantly Shiite Hazara community and a hub for cross-border trade with Iran, 70 miles to the west.

There were cafes in Jebrail where young men and women could meet freely, and markets where groups of female friends wandered unbothered in makeup and heels.

Directives issued by the Taliban’s morality police to local religious leaders in early June meant an end to that. The police said women who did not respect orders to cover themselves from head to toe, including their faces, would be arrested and could face prison.

On June 6 and 7, at least 30 women were arrested on charges of violating the orders, according to the United Nations’ mission in Afghanistan. Local human rights groups say they have registered more than 200 arrests so far and expect more.

“Some generations accept orders, others don’t,” Hussain, a Shiite cleric in Herat, said about the new crackdown on women’s clothing. “The new generation isn’t coping; it is not accepting.”

On June 9, dozens of residents gathered in Jebrail to protest the tightened rules and the arrests.

Among them was Hamayoon, 19, who said she had come with a friend even though their mothers had urged them not to.

“I told myself, ‘If I don’t go, and others don’t go, then who will participate?’” Hamayoon said. “Tomorrow might be my mother and sister’s turn to be arrested.”

Hamayoon and other demonstrators chanted, “Work, education, freedom.” As the chants grew louder, and armed Taliban officers walked toward the demonstrators, some threw stones at the Taliban, who fired warning shots and then aimed for their feet, according to five protesters. Footage of the tense face-off quickly circulated on social media.

The police officers chased demonstrators down Jebrail’s alleys, beating and arresting dozens of them, according to protesters and five others who witnessed the clashes. One teenager died after suffering gunshot wounds, and several others were injured.

A spokesman for the Herat police, Sayed Masoud Hussaini, said the protesters had been “agitators” seeking to disrupt public order. He denied that the police had arrested or beaten protesters, and he said the police had brought the area back under control “in the shortest possible time.”

The protest in Jebrail started at 8 a.m. By 10 a.m., the Taliban had dispersed everyone.

A show of strength

The Taliban swarmed Jebrail and installed checkpoints. As rumors spread of another planned demonstration, they issued warnings in mosques and schools to the neighborhood’s residents: Do not go out to protest again.

They have not.

Instead, a climate of fear has fallen on Jebrail. Residents said the Taliban are stopping people and arresting them because of their beards or clothing and, in some cases, intimidating schoolgirls.

The students were already fully covered in black chadors from head to toe, but the officer ordered them to cover their faces as well, in line with the new instructions, Zahra said. The officers then filmed as the girls held pieces of paper describing their outfits as “the flag of the Afghan woman’s honor.”

Some of the girls cried under their veils. “We were all frightened,” Zahra said, because they were unable to reach their parents for help.

On a recent evening, I saw a dozen armed officers who stopped drivers at every major intersection.

Fully covered women walked in the streets as the sunset brought respite from the 105-degree heat. A local market was almost empty.

The crackdown and fear of arrests have brought economic activity to a standstill. Shakila, the owner of a food packaging workshop in Jebrail, said three of her employees had not come to work for weeks.

A principal in Herat said that some parents had stopped their daughters from attending school.

Some who do face ridicule from adults who don’t agree with the Taliban rules. At Zahra’s school, some students who comply and attend class with a mask or a veil covering their faces said they had faced insults from passers-by calling them “Taliban donkeys,” according to a teacher there.

Pressuring Shiites

The Taliban’s effort to assert control goes beyond social norms around dress. Taliban officials have increasingly sought to suppress public signs of devotion by members of the Shiite community across the country in recent months, according to religious officials, education professionals and human rights groups.

They have instructed all male university students to sign a document certifying that they follow the Taliban’s Sunni school of thought. In Herat, they have ordered some principals to provide lists of their Shiite students.

And as Afghan Shiites in Herat prepared for the holy commemoration of Ashura last month, their leaders received orders from the Taliban to remove flags from shrines and to cancel outdoor processions.

Zabiullah Mujahid, the Taliban government’s spokesman, said in an interview that the authorities had imposed restrictions on the celebrations because of security threats to Shiite communities from the Islamic State. The Taliban government has, over the years, said it has mostly eliminated the Islamic State threat from Afghanistan.

Between 10 and 15 percent of Afghanistan’s 45 million people are estimated to be Shiite, but they, like other minorities, have been largely shut out of power in the Taliban government.

“They do not accept recommendations, they do not accept guidance,” Ayatollah Waezi Zadeh, the Shiite cleric, said about the Taliban government in his speech in May. “Perhaps their foundation is to make every decision themselves, to be single-minded.”

Anisa Shabir contributed research.

Elian Peltier is The Times’s bureau chief for Pakistan and Afghanistan, based in Islamabad.

WHO Warns Closure of 150 Health Centres Threatens Healthcare and Polio Eradication in Afghanistan

July 13, 2026 Current News Articles

By Fidel Rahmati

Khaama Press

July 12, 2026

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the closure of more than 150 health centres across Afghanistan since the beginning of 2026 is restricting access to essential medical care for millions of people and threatening efforts to eradicate polio as funding for humanitarian health services continues to decline.

In a statement, WHO said the health facilities have suspended operations because of severe funding shortages, leaving many communities without access to primary healthcare, maternal services, disease prevention and emergency treatment. The agency warned that the closures are placing additional strain on Afghanistan’s already fragile healthcare system, with women, children and people in remote areas among those most affected.

According to WHO, more than 22 million people in Afghanistan require humanitarian assistance, including over 14 million who need healthcare services. However, only 17 percent of the funding required for the country’s health response had been received by the end of June 2026, leaving critical programmes at risk of further disruption.

The agency said the funding gap threatens routine immunization campaigns and disease surveillance, raising concerns over efforts to eliminate wild poliovirus. Afghanistan and Pakistan remain the only two countries where wild poliovirus transmission has never been interrupted, making continued vaccination campaigns a global public health priority.

The warning followed a visit to Afghanistan by Dr. Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, who traveled to Kabul and Kandahar with representatives of international partners. During the visit, she met officials from the Taliban administration, healthcare workers, United Nations agencies and donor representatives to discuss the country’s growing health and humanitarian needs.

Dr. Balkhy said sustained international support is essential to maintaining life-saving health services and achieving the goal of eradicating polio. She stressed that ending transmission requires a functioning healthcare system, trained health workers, uninterrupted vaccination campaigns and predictable long-term funding.

Afghanistan’s healthcare system has faced repeated financial shocks since international aid declined following the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021. Humanitarian organizations say reductions in donor funding have forced hundreds of health facilities to scale back or suspend services, disrupting access to medicines, maternal and child healthcare, nutrition programmes and emergency medical treatment.

The United Nations and humanitarian agencies have repeatedly warned that Afghanistan’s health sector remains heavily dependent on international assistance. Aid organizations say continued financial support is critical to preventing further deterioration in healthcare access, particularly in rural provinces where humanitarian services often provide the only source of medical care.

WHO called on international donors to increase funding for Afghanistan’s health response, warning that without urgent financial support, more health facilities could close, leaving millions of Afghans without essential care and undermining progress against preventable diseases, including polio.

Islamic Emirate Leader Announces Tax Relief Measures in Four Sectors

July 13, 2026 Current News Articles

Mursaleen Muwahed

Multilingual Journalist & Social Media Editor

Tolo News

12 July 2026

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Mohammad Naser Akhund said that since the Islamic Emirate returned to power, 13 tax relief measures have been introduced.

The leader of the Islamic Emirate has approved a series of tax relief measures in four key sectors, a move officials say is aimed at encouraging investment, boosting economic activity, and easing the financial burden on citizens and the private sector.

Speaking at a ceremony announcing the new measures, Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs Abdul Salam Hanafi said the tax reductions apply to legal entities, individual taxpayers, property transfers, and fuel imports, including oil and gas.

Hanafi said that, with the exception of mining companies, the income tax on all legal entities, including companies and private hospitals, has been reduced to 10 percent.

He added that the annual tax exemption threshold for individual taxpayers has been doubled from AFN 60,000 to AFN 120,000, meaning individuals earning up to AFN 120,000 per year will be exempt from paying income tax.

“Previously, the income tax rate was 20 percent. From now on, it has been reduced to 10 percent for all eligible entities,” Hanafi said.

According to Hanafi, the tax on oil and gas imports has also been reduced from AFN 100 to AFN 50 per metric ton, while the property transfer tax has been cut from 1 percent to 0.5 percent.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Mohammad Naser Akhund said that since the Islamic Emirate returned to power, 13 tax relief measures have been introduced.

“The taxes you pay today finance the Islamic Emirate’s defense, security, intelligence, and ordinary government expenditures,” Akhund said.

At the same event, Minister of Industry and Commerce Nooruddin Azizi urged the private sector and investors to pay their taxes transparently and avoid tax evasion.

“We ask taxpayers to uphold transparency and remain committed to fulfilling their tax obligations,” Azizi said.

Officials of the Islamic Emirate described the latest tax relief measures as part of broader efforts to support investment, stimulate economic growth, and improve the business environment in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan’s Population Growth Raises New Challenges

July 11, 2026 Current News Articles

By Fidel Rahmati

Khaama Press

July 11, 2026

The United Nations estimates Afghanistan’s population will reach 48.6 million in 2026, while the Taliban-controlled statistics authority puts the figure at 37.2 million, highlighting a major gap in demographic data as the country marks World Population Day.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and Afghanistan’s Taliban-controlled National Statistics and Information Authority released different population estimates on Saturday, July 11, to mark World Population Day.

UNAMA said in a statement that Afghanistan’s population is projected to reach 48.6 million people in 2026, adding that accurate demographic data is essential for informed policymaking, improving healthcare services, promoting gender equality, strengthening resilience and advancing sustainable development.

Meanwhile, the Taliban-controlled National Statistics and Information Authority estimated Afghanistan’s population at 37.2 million in the current solar year 1405, a figure more than 11 million lower than the UN projection.

The authority said men make up 51 percent of Afghanistan’s population and women account for 49 percent. It estimated that around 70 percent of the population — nearly 26 million people — live in rural areas, while 26 percent, or about 9.8 million people, reside in urban areas. Nomadic communities account for the remaining 4 percent, or approximately 1.5 million people.

According to the Taliban-run statistics agency, Kabul is Afghanistan’s most populous province with an estimated 6.4 million residents, followed by Herat with around 2.4 million.

The agency said Afghanistan’s population increased from 36.4 million last year to 37.2 million this year, representing annual growth of about 2.2 percent, or approximately 800,000 additional people.

The UN has also warned that Afghanistan faces growing pressure from climate change, including drought, flooding, rising temperatures and water shortages. Around 75 percent of Afghans depend on agriculture and livestock for their livelihoods, leaving many communities vulnerable to environmental shocks.

The significant difference between the UN and Taliban population estimates reflects longstanding challenges in Afghanistan’s demographic data collection. The country has not conducted a comprehensive national census for decades due to prolonged conflict, displacement and limited statistical capacity.

Experts say reliable population data is critical for planning healthcare, education, humanitarian assistance and development programs, particularly as Afghanistan continues to face economic hardship and humanitarian challenges.

Growing population meets economic reality in Afghanistan

July 11, 2026 Current News Articles

by Bais Hayat

AMU TV

July 11, 2026

Kabul City. July 2026. File photo.

Afghanistan’s population has surpassed 43 million, according to United Nations estimates, making it one of the world’s youngest countries. But as the population continues to grow, many Afghans say economic hardship is changing attitudes toward family size.

Residents in Kabul say rising living costs, unemployment and limited access to education and health care are making it increasingly difficult to support large families.

“As technology advances, people’s expectations also increase,” said Abdul Hamid, a Kabul resident. “Children and adults today have greater needs than before.”

According to the World Bank, Afghanistan’s fertility rate stood at 4.66 births per woman in 2025. Although the rate has declined over the past two decades, it remains well above the global average and continues to contribute to the country’s youthful population.

Some residents said families should have fewer children to improve their quality of life.

“Parents should think about their children’s future and be able to raise them properly,” said Salim, a Kabul resident. “Personally, I think having three children is better.”

Another resident, Hamed, echoed that view.

“Having many children brings its own challenges,” he said. “There’s a saying: fewer children, a better life.”

Others said raising children has become significantly more expensive than it was in previous generations.

“I raised eight children — four daughters and four sons,” said Rasul Dad, another Kabul resident. “I don’t even know whether they grew up on their own or whether I raised them.”

For younger Afghans, economic pressures are affecting even the decision to marry.

“I want to get married,” said Tabish, a Kabul resident. “But under the current circumstances, I can’t because of the economic difficulties.”

Economists say population growth is neither inherently an advantage nor a burden. Its impact depends largely on whether governments can create jobs, expand education and strengthen public services.

“In some situations, a smaller population is better, especially when the economy is weak,” said Sayed Massoud, an economist. “If the economy is stronger, a larger population can become an advantage. Traditionally, Afghans have lived in large extended families.”

Afghanistan continues to face widespread poverty, high unemployment and one of the world’s youngest demographic profiles. International organizations have repeatedly warned that without sustained investment in education, health care and employment, the country’s growing youth population could place increasing pressure on limited public resources.

According to global population estimates, India is the world’s most populous country, followed by China. The United States, Indonesia and Pakistan complete the top five. Afghanistan’s population is far smaller, but its rapid growth and youthful demographics present a distinct set of economic and social challenges.

Dissident Taliban Commander Returns To Darwaz After Renewing Loyalty

July 11, 2026 Current News Articles

Afghanistan International

11 July 2026

Hurriyat, a Taliban-affiliated media outlet, reported on Saturday that dissident Taliban commander Juma Khan Fateh had returned to Darwaz after pledging loyalty to the Taliban administration.

He had travelled to Faizabad for talks under guarantees provided by Taliban army chief Fasihuddin Fitrat.

No details of the talks or any agreement between the two sides have been released. However, Hurriyat Radio quoted Badakhshan Taliban governor Mohammad Ismail Ghaznavi as describing Fateh as a “committed and loyal” member of the Taliban who would remain with the group.

A video published by Hurriyat shows Fateh boarding a helicopter and bidding farewell to armed Taliban members. This came a day after the outlet dismissed reports of his transfer to Badakhshan’s provincial capital as “rumours” and “baseless”.

Fateh recently travelled to Faizabad under guarantees from Taliban army chief Fasihuddin Fitrat to discuss his disputes with the Taliban leadership. Sources say the disagreements centred on local appointments, efforts to disarm fighters loyal to him and the management of Badakhshan’s gold mines.

The Taliban’s order to prevent illegal gold mining has directly affected Fateh’s economic interests. The group has also sought to disarm his loyalists who do not hold official positions within the Taliban structure.

Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada had previously removed Fateh from his post as deputy governor of Zabul and planned to appoint him to a government position outside Badakhshan.

However, according to information obtained by Afghanistan International, Fateh rejected those proposals and refused to accept a post outside Badakhshan.

Sources said one of the positions offered to him was to head a Taliban intelligence department in Kabul, but Fateh also declined that role.

Pakistan to Begin Deportation of Around 20,000 Afghans From Peshawar

July 11, 2026 Current News Articles

By Fidel Rahmati

Khaama Press

July 11, 2026

Pakistani authorities have finalized preparations for a new phase of deportations that could see around 20,000 Afghan nationals returned from the northwestern city of Peshawar to Afghanistan, according to a report by The Express Tribune, as Islamabad continues its nationwide campaign against undocumented foreigners.

The Express Tribune reported on Friday, July 10, that authorities in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province have completed preparations for a phased deportation operation targeting Afghan nationals without valid legal documents or with expired residency permits. The newspaper said police, district authorities, and security agencies have finalized operational plans in coordination with the federal government.

According to the report, police and security agencies in Peshawar have prepared lists of Afghan nationals expected to be included in the operation. Federal authorities are also expected to assist provincial officials in carrying out the deportation process.

The newspaper reported that the operation is expected to begin after the conclusion of the ongoing nationwide polio vaccination campaign, although Pakistani authorities have not announced an official start date.

Under the reported plan, Afghan families from different parts of Peshawar will first be transferred to the Nasir Bagh transit center, where officials will complete registration, identity verification, and administrative procedures before transporting them to the Torkham border crossing for return to Afghanistan.

According to The Express Tribune, authorities have collected information on Afghan residents living in several areas of Peshawar, including Afghan Colony, Nasir Bagh, Chamkani, Charsadda Road, Ring Road, and Board Bazaar. Officials have also reportedly compiled a separate list of Afghan nationals employed in markets, factories, workshops, and other commercial establishments as part of the preparations.

Pakistan launched its nationwide campaign to deport undocumented foreign nationals in October 2023, saying the policy is intended to enforce immigration laws, improve border management, and address security concerns. Since then, hundreds of thousands of Afghans have returned or been deported to Afghanistan through the Torkham and Spin Boldak border crossings, according to Pakistani authorities and United Nations agencies.

The deportation campaign has drawn repeated concern from the United Nations, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and human rights organizations. They have warned that many Afghans being returned face severe humanitarian conditions, limited access to livelihoods, and potential protection risks, particularly women, girls, journalists, former government employees, and others considered vulnerable under Taliban rule.

Pakistan has hosted one of the world’s largest Afghan refugee populations for more than four decades. Many Afghans fled to Pakistan following the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, while others remain in the country awaiting resettlement to third countries, including the United States, Canada, Germany, Australia, and other nations.

Humanitarian agencies have urged Pakistan to ensure that any returns are voluntary, safe, and carried out in accordance with international law, particularly for individuals who may have international protection needs. They have also called on the international community to expand resettlement pathways and increase support for Afghans who remain displaced.

Turkey Detains Nearly 20,000 Afghan Migrants in First Half of 2026

July 11, 2026 Current News Articles

By Fidel Rahmati

Khaama Press

July 10, 2026

Turkish authorities detained 19,574 Afghan migrants during the first six months of 2026, making Afghans the largest group of undocumented migrants apprehended in the country, according to newly released government migration data.

Turkey’s Directorate of Migration Management said authorities detained 19,574 Afghan nationals between January and June 2026, the highest number among all nationalities recorded during the period, underscoring the continued scale of Afghan migration into and through Turkey.

According to the agency, nearly 70,000 undocumented migrants from various countries were apprehended nationwide during the first half of the year as part of ongoing immigration enforcement operations. The figures were published in the agency’s latest migration statistics.

After Afghan nationals, the largest groups of detained migrants were citizens of Syria, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Morocco, Iraq, Egypt, Sudan and Yemen, reflecting Turkey’s role as a major transit and destination country for people fleeing conflict, economic hardship and political instability.

The migration authority said those detained were found to be residing in Turkey without valid residence permits or other required immigration documents. It did not specify how many had been deported, transferred to removal centers or released pending immigration proceedings.

Authorities also reported detaining more than 6,000 people on suspicion of involvement in migrant smuggling during the same six-month period, saying investigations and border enforcement operations remain ongoing.

Turkey has intensified efforts in recent years to curb irregular migration through increased border surveillance, police raids, and cooperation between security agencies and the coast guard. Officials say the operations are intended to enforce immigration laws, combat human smuggling networks and strengthen border security.

The country remains one of the principal transit routes for migrants attempting to reach Europe from Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Afghan nationals have consistently ranked among the largest groups of undocumented migrants intercepted by Turkish authorities.

According to the United Nations, Turkey deported more than 13,000 Afghan nationals during the first five months of 2026. Humanitarian organizations, including the UN refugee agency and rights groups, have repeatedly raised concerns over the forced return of Afghans, warning that many face humanitarian hardship, insecurity and limited access to basic services after returning to Afghanistan.

Since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, hundreds of thousands of Afghans have continued to leave the country, citing economic collapse, unemployment, restrictions on women and girls, and fears of persecution. Many have sought refuge in neighboring countries or attempted to travel onward to Europe through Iran and Turkey.

Turkish authorities maintain that deportations are conducted in accordance with national immigration laws and international obligations. However, refugee advocates have urged governments to ensure that returns are voluntary, safe and consistent with international protection standards, particularly for people who may face persecution or other serious risks upon return.

India, Afghanistan Hold Fourth Joint Foreign Office Consultations

July 11, 2026 Current News Articles

TOLOnews

TV Network

10 July 2026

A show of strength

Pressuring Shiites

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