More than 8,600 Afghan refugees crossed back into Afghanistan from Pakistan and Iran over a five-day span, intensifying severe humanitarian strains as the Taliban regime grapples with a relentless wave of returnees. The mass arrivals run parallel to an escalating security crackdown by Pakistani authorities targeting exiled journalists and refugees, documentation from Reporters Without Borders reveals.
Detention Centers and Forced Deportations
Friction between Pakistan and Afghanistan has sharpened sharply, sparking a sweep of arrests aimed at exiled Afghan media workers living in Pakistan. Multiple professionals landed in detention centers over the past week alone, swelling an estimated 20 arrests logged by RSF since the year 2026 opened. At least six journalists backed by RSF were pushed back across the border into Afghanistan in a 15-day window, pushing total forced returns to nine since January.
The human cost of the operations is immediate and visceral. One journalist painted a stark picture of the sweeps for RSF:
“Since February 27, the police have been conducting repeated checks and operations against Afghans in our area. Although my visa is still valid, the police came to our home three times. Today, the 28th, they even took me to the police station and detained me for about an hour before releasing me.”
Another media worker chose total confinement inside their home, going without food and basic necessities simply to evade capture.
Extortion and Housing Crises Under Pressure
Beyond sweeping arrests, police raids have opened the door to widespread financial extortion outside legal channels. One journalist told RSF of enduring a full day inside a Pakistani police detention centre before buying their freedom.
“After spending a full day in a Pakistani police detention centre, I was forced to pay 115,000 PKR [about 400 USD] to avoid deportation and secure my release.”
The ordeal did not end at the station doors; the same source reported that their landlord immediately ordered them to clear out of the property by the following day.
Flight from Taliban Rule Meets Domestic Blackouts
These journalists originally crossed the border to escape the Taliban administration, which systematically shuts down independent outlets and hounds reporters. Inside Afghanistan, the information blackouts remain absolute. On March 4, Taliban authorities shuttered the private station Radio Khushal in Ghazni province after the broadcaster aired telephone calls from girls taking part in an educational program.
Border Crossings Strain Local Resources
Families streaming through official border crossings encounter immediate destitution. TOLOnews reports that deportees arriving from Iran and Pakistan face crushing unemployment and widespread poverty upon stepping back onto Afghan soil. Bulletins from Bakhtar News Agency and the Atlas news agency show hundreds of families continuing the trek daily, featuring a single-day count of 267 families entering the country and further stretching resources five years into Taliban rule.
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