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| Photo File (AI) |
Three Afghan nationals have died after being exposed to freezing temperatures while attempting to illegally cross the Iran-Afghanistan border in the western province of Herat, a local Afghan army official said on Saturday.
Speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, the official said the victims were part of a group trying to enter Iran when they were stopped by Afghan border forces earlier this week. “Three people who wanted to illegally cross the Iran-Afghanistan border have died because of the cold weather,” the official confirmed.
The incident occurred on Wednesday when border forces intercepted the group. Search operations were launched that night, but the bodies were not recovered until Thursday due to harsh weather conditions and difficult terrain.
The official also reported that a shepherd was found dead in the mountainous Kohsan district of Herat, apparently after succumbing to extreme cold, highlighting the deadly impact of winter conditions in the region.
The tragedy comes amid a sharp rise in forced returns of Afghan migrants. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), more than 1.8 million Afghans were returned from Iran between January and the end of November 2025, with most cases described as “forced and coerced returns.”
UNHCR has warned that the mass return of Afghans under adverse conditions has placed immense pressure on the country’s already overstretched services, increasing the risk of renewed displacement, including onward migration back to Iran, Pakistan, or beyond.
This week, Amnesty International urged countries to halt forced returns to Afghanistan, citing a “real risk of serious harm” to returnees. Afghanistan continues to face severe humanitarian challenges, including the aftermath of powerful earthquakes, climate vulnerability, international sanctions, and widespread food insecurity affecting more than 17 million people, according to the UN World Food Programme.
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