Kabul [Afghanistan], June 27 : The United Nations has reported that 2.5 million refugees globally will require resettlement in 2026, with Afghan nationals comprising the largest group in need, according to a report cited by TOLO News.
UN Secretary-General's spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said, "Speaking of refugees, our friends at UNHCR today released a report estimating that 2.5 million refugees worldwide will need to be resettled next year."
UNHCR said that while the figure remains high, annual resettlement needs have decreased for next year -- down from 2.9 million in 2025 -- even as the global number of refugees continues to grow. This is mainly due to the changed situation in Syria, which has allowed for voluntary returns. UNHCR said that for 2026, the largest refugee populations that will need to be resettled are Afghans, followed by Syrians, South Sudanese, Sudanese, Rohingya and Congolese.
At the same time, TOLO News reported that UNHCR's Afghanistan office stated over 393,000 Afghan migrants were deported from Iran and Pakistan during the first five months of this year and returned to Afghanistan.
Additionally, 264 deportation cases from Tajikistan have been recorded so far this year.
Mohammad Jamal Moslem, a migrant rights activist, told TOLO News: "UNHCR should convince host countries to address the problems of these individuals with respect for human dignity, and the Islamic Emirate and emergency committee must work with aid organizations to provide better shelter and economic support for affected citizens."
Meanwhile, Abdul Aziz, who had travelled to Iran to secure education for his children, was recently deported and is currently living in a migrant camp in Kabul. He told TOLO News, "If educational opportunities are provided for our children, we will not go to neighboring countries again."
This comes as Pakistan's deadline for Afghan migrants to leave is less than six days away, while Iran's deadline is less than twelve days away.