Emergency Declared as Tens of Thousands of Afghan Migrants Return from Iran

A sudden surge of Afghan migrants has overwhelmed the Islam Qala border crossing after Iran ordered undocumented Afghans to leave by July 6, triggering a daily influx of over 43,000 people in early July. From June 1 to July 5, nearly 450,000 returned, adding to a cumulative 1.4 million repatriations from Iran and Pakistan this year, according to UN agencies.The influx has sparked an “emergency” declaration at the border due to inadequate services and strained humanitarian resources.