Human Rights Watch has recently issued a stark warning regarding the intensifying humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, exacerbated by the forced returns of Afghans amid ongoing rights violations by the Taliban. Four years have passed since the Taliban’s takeover, and their continued human rights abuses have drawn significant attention, including new arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court for top Taliban figures over alleged crimes against humanity.
The Taliban’s grip has particularly impacted women and girls, with restrictions on education beyond sixth grade, employment bans, and severe curtailments on movement and access to public spaces. The implementation of the Taliban’s “Law on Promoting Virtue and Preventing Vice” has been heavily criticized for undermining women’s autonomy, further detailing the oppressive measures that significantly curtail freedoms.
Reports have emerged of countries such as Iran and Pakistan forcibly returning nearly two million Afghans, including individuals who have spent most, if not all, of their lives outside Afghanistan. The United States has also drawn criticism for making many Afghans deportable due to measures taken during the Trump administration. The United Nations highlighted in a recent report that returnees often face additional abuses upon their enforced arrival back home.
The situation within Afghanistan remains dire, with the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre noting that 4.2 million people were internally displaced by the end of 2024. This displacement complicates humanitarian efforts, with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reporting 22.9 million people in need of aid. Human Rights Watch underscores the withdrawal of foreign aid as a contributing factor to severe malnutrition, especially among children.
The rights group criticizes UN member countries for their inaction over the past four years, urging global leaders to take concrete steps to halt ongoing violations and address the deepening crisis. These actions should prioritize the cessation of forced returns and the alleviation of the humanitarian situation. The alarm over forced returns and deteriorating human conditions is echoed across various reports, painting a grim picture of Afghanistan’s current state as detailed by JURIST and reinforced by recent international analyses.