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After the Taliban’s 2021 takeover, many Afghan children face harsh conditions after being deported from Iran. Concerns about child deportation from neighboring countries like Pakistan and Iran are getting global attention.
According to Tolo News, local authorities in Afghanistan’s Nimruz province confirmed over 20,000 Afghan children were forcibly sent back from Iran last year alone. In 2024, Iranian authorities admitted deporting over 900 children.
Mohammad Haroon, Border Commander of Nimruz Directorate of Refugees, said around 30 to 40 children arrive in Nimruz daily after being deported from Iran. Their office registered 20,000 deported children last year.
One Afghan child shared his story, saying he went to Iran for work due to economic struggles in Afghanistan. Despite working in a bakery and earning only a few loaves of bread daily, he was deported without his family. Many deported children feel the same, sad about being separated from family members still in Iran.
This situation shows the economic challenges Afghan families face, pushing children into illegal activities for survival. The Taliban’s policies worsen the problem, forcing children into labor and other illegal actions.
There are calls for action, asking the Afghan Taliban to focus on the country’s economy, especially for its children. The international community, including the United Nations and the European Union, is urged to help Afghan refugee children and address the Taliban’s role in destabilizing the region.
