IOM / AFGHAN RETURNEES

Afghan families returning from Pakistan are arriving home exhausted and unsure what comes next. Through IOM’s cross-border post-arrival humanitarian assistance, returnees can receive immediate support at the border crossing point. IOM

• Video Length: 00:01:05
• Production Date: 5 March 2026
• Asset Language: English
• Corporate Name: INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION - IOM
• Subject Topical: RETURN MIGRATION; HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
• Geographic Subject: AFGHANISTAN
• MAMS Id: 3541189
• Parent Id: 3541189
• Alternate Title: unifeed260305d

Description

STORY: IOM / AFGHAN RETURNEES
TRT: 1:05
SOURCE: IOM
RESTRICTIONS: PLEASE CREDIT IOM ON SCREEN
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: FEBRUARY 2026, SPIN BOLDAK BORDER CROSSING IN KANDAHAR PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN / FILE

Shotlist

FEBRUARY 2026, SPIN BOLDAK BORDER CROSSING IN KANDAHAR PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Mohamed Elmasry, Regional Coordinator, IOM:
“For families returning from Pakistan. The journey home can be very long and difficult. especially for those who have not set foot in Afghanistan for years and in some cases, decades. I am here at the Spin Boldak border crossing in Kandahar, which is one of the main crossing points for Afghan returnees from Pakistan, where many arrive exhausted and with very limited resources and uncertain about what comes next.”

FILE – NOVEMBER 2023, AFGHANISTAN

2. Various shots, large influx of Afghan returnees from Pakistan

FEBRUARY 2026, SPIN BOLDAK BORDER CROSSING IN KANDAHAR PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Mohamed Elmasry, Regional Coordinator, IOM:
“Here at the Takhta Pul Center, our specialized teams conduct assessments to identify the most vulnerable families and individuals, including those with specific protection concerns. IOM, along with humanitarian partners from 12 different organizations, provide various forms of services to returnees. This includes the provision of food, cash support, health services, hygiene kits and overnight accommodation.”
4. Various shots, Takhta Pul Center

Storyline

Afghan families returning from Pakistan are arriving home exhausted and unsure what comes next. Through IOM’s cross-border post-arrival humanitarian assistance, returnees can receive immediate support at the border crossing point.

Undocumented returnees are referred to IOM’s transit centre, where they receive essential services and an IOM ID card, helping them access support from IOM and partners. In 2025, with support from the European Union, IOM provided more than 571,000 returnees with immediate assistance at the border crossing point.