Nearly 17,000 Afghan refugees return home in 1 week

Source: Xinhua| 2026-01-25 17:46:45|Editor: huaxia

Afghan children are seen at a makeshift camp in Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan. 26, 2026. A total of 2,981 Afghan families with 16,928 members returned to their homeland from Iran and Pakistan over the past week, Afghanistan's High Commission for Addressing Returnees Problems announced on Jan. 25. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

KABUL, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- A total of 2,981 Afghan families with 16,928 members returned to their homeland from Iran and Pakistan over the past week, Afghanistan's High Commission for Addressing Returnees Problems announced Sunday.

All returning families have received immediate assistance, including food, drinking water, healthcare services, and free transportation to their destinations, the commission said.

An estimated 6 million Afghan refugees currently live abroad, primarily in Iran and Pakistan. ■

An Afghan child is seen at a makeshift camp in Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan. 26, 2026. A total of 2,981 Afghan families with 16,928 members returned to their homeland from Iran and Pakistan over the past week, Afghanistan's High Commission for Addressing Returnees Problems announced on Jan. 25. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

Afghan refugees are seen at a temporary camp in Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan. 26, 2026. A total of 2,981 Afghan families with 16,928 members returned to their homeland from Iran and Pakistan over the past week, Afghanistan's High Commission for Addressing Returnees Problems announced on Jan. 25. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

Afghan children walk at a makeshift camp in Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan. 26, 2026. A total of 2,981 Afghan families with 16,928 members returned to their homeland from Iran and Pakistan over the past week, Afghanistan's High Commission for Addressing Returnees Problems announced on Jan. 25. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)