The escalating conflict in the Middle East is generating immediate risks for children across borders, with a growing influx of Afghan families returning from Iran.
The United Nations Children’s Fund reported on Wednesday that the situation is worsening, as are humanitarian conditions for thousands of vulnerable families, as it highlighted urgent challenges confronting children in Afghanistan.
Families are arriving at the Islam Qala border crossing in western Herat province and other entry points, many appearing distressed after an unexpected journey and grappling with uncertainty about their future as they return to their homeland, said Tajudeen Oyewale, UNICEF representative in Afghanistan.
According to Oyewale, many of the children arriving at the reception centres are exhausted and in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, including food, medical care and psychological support.
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“We are already seeing too many mothers arriving at reception centres with their children, looking exhausted, overwhelmed, and in need of immediate support,” Oyewale said.
“If arrivals increase as expected, the risks facing children will grow as well,” he added.
He noted that many of the returning families left their homes in a hurry due to rising tensions in the region, forcing them to undertake difficult journeys with limited resources and uncertain prospects upon arrival.
In 2025 alone, nearly three million Afghans returned to Afghanistan from neighbouring countries, primarily from Iran and Pakistan. Around 60 per cent of those returnees were families with children, further increasing pressure on already overstretched communities and humanitarian services.
Aid agencies warn that the sudden surge in returnees could strain local resources such as shelter, healthcare services, education facilities and clean water supplies in border provinces.
UNICEF is therefore calling for increased international support to address the growing needs, particularly in the areas of nutrition, health services, water, sanitation and hygiene for children and their families.
The agency stressed that without urgent assistance, vulnerable children could face heightened risks of malnutrition, illness, and disruptions to their education.
Humanitarian organisations also emphasised that coordinated global support would be essential to help Afghan communities absorb the growing number of returning families while ensuring that children receive the protection and care they urgently require.
Xinhua/NAN
