KABUL, May 19, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The United Nations said in a report on Tuesday that they are expecting almost three million Afghans to return to the country by the end of the year, more than half of whom will be women and children.

Since September 2023, 5.9 million Afghans have returned, mainly from neighbouring Iran and Pakistan, accounting for around 10 to 12 percent of the population.

About 600,000 Afghans returned in the first four months of 2026 from Iran and Pakistan, the UN report said, adding there were "1.7 million estimated returns from Iran and 1.1 million from Pakistan in the coming eight-month period".

Most of the Afghan returnees are skilled labourers who were born and raised in the neighbouring countries or have been away from their communities for years.

"They either have weak or no ties to their communities of origin," said Tajudeen Oyewale, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Afghanistan.

Oyewale added that "over half of those returning are women and children" who are the most vulnerable in the country.

The UN and NGOs are calling for $100.7 million for immediate border response for lifesaving assistance at key official crossing points with Iran and Pakistan.

"This figure only covers 40 per cent of the most vulnerable returnees, even though 70 per cent meet our vulnerability criteria," said Thamindri De Silva, Country Director of World Vision International.

However, according to the report, the reintegration response for the returnees requires $428.5 million.

Another report issued this week warned that humanitarian assistance had declined "from $1.62 billion in 2024 to $0.91 billion in 2025 -- a 43.82 percent reduction".