Children of Afghan returnee families shelter at a makeshift camp on the outskirts of Mazar i Sharif, capital of northern Balkh province, Afghanistan, as photographed on 16 September 2026. According to the UNHCR, roughly 6 million Afghans have come back from neighbouring countries over the past three years.
A single child from an Afghan returnee family sits at a makeshift camp on the fringes of Mazar i Sharif, Balkh province, on 16 September 2026. The UNHCR reports that Pakistan and Iran account for the bulk of the roughly 6 million Afghans who have come back over the past three years.
An elderly Afghan returnee stands outside a makeshift mud house at a camp on the outskirts of Mazar i Sharif, Balkh province, on 16 September 2026. Large scale returns have strained humanitarian agencies, with many individuals requiring shelter, healthcare and employment support, according to the UNHCR.
A child from an Afghan returnee family stands outside a temporary mud dwelling on the outskirts of Mazar i Sharif on 16 September 2026. According to the UNHCR, the wave of returns — predominantly from Pakistan and Iran — has heightened pressure on local communities already stretched for basic services.
Multiple children from Afghan returnee families gather at a makeshift camp near Mazar i Sharif, Balkh province, on 16 September 2026. The UNHCR says the cumulative return of approximately 6 million Afghans over three years has placed severe additional demands on education and health services.
Afghan returnee children are pictured outside makeshift mud shelters on the periphery of Mazar i Sharif, northern Afghanistan, on 16 September 2026. The UNHCR notes that returnees require access to shelter, employment, schooling and healthcare — needs that humanitarian agencies are struggling to fully meet.
Children of Afghan returnee families remain outside temporary mud homes on the edge of Mazar i Sharif on 16 September 2026, a scene emblematic of the broader displacement challenge. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports the ongoing return flow continues to strain communities across Balkh province.
Children of a single Afghan returnee family are photographed on the outskirts of Mazar i Sharif, capital of northern Balkh province, on 16 September 2026. The UNHCR says mass returns — chiefly from Pakistan and Iran — have left many families dependent on overstretched humanitarian support networks.