IRC Warns EU Deportations Expose Afghan Returnees to Severe Risks

The International Rescue Committee has warned that the deportation of Afghan migrants from European Union countries exposes returnees to severe security, food, and livelihood threats amid a worsening humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. According to a recent report, approximately 22,000 Afghan citizens received orders to leave European nations in 2025, with Afghans ranking as the third-largest group of asylum applicants in the bloc that year.

The committee noted that returning migrants face a country where 40 percent of the population struggles with hunger, including millions at emergency levels of food insecurity. Systemic barriers continue to restrict women and girls from accessing education, employment, and healthcare. The organization stated that Afghanistan’s limited infrastructure and recent funding cuts are ill-equipped to absorb a sudden influx of returnees, further straining essential services.

Over the past year, International Rescue Committee teams assisted nearly 900 unaccompanied Afghan children seeking protection in Europe. The group emphasized that premature returns could place vulnerable individuals in precarious conditions without adequate support networks.

Reports indicate that European authorities are planning a meeting with Taliban representatives to coordinate the management of returns. In addition to European deportations, regional trends show an increase in the forced return of Afghan migrants from neighboring countries. The International Rescue Committee has called for a reassessment of deportation policies, urging international actors to prioritize the safety and basic needs of displaced populations until conditions stabilize.