In mid-December 2025, severe winter cold claimed the lives of three Afghan migrants in Herat province’s mountainous Kohsan region while attempting an illegal border crossing into Iran.
Kabul24: A Afghanistan military official, speaking anonymously to AFP, confirmed the deaths, noting the victims were part of a group intercepted by Afghan border forces on Wednesday. Search operations began that night, but bodies were recovered only on Thursday.
A local shepherd also perished from hypothermia in the same area.Independent sources, including Khaama Press and Afghanistan International, report higher tolls—up to 15-40 deaths, some inside Iranian territory—with many migrants still missing.
Driven by poverty, unemployment, and limited legal options, hundreds continue risking smuggling routes despite harsh weather.
This tragedy unfolds against massive forced returns: UNHCR data shows over 1.8 million Afghans deported from Iran (mostly coerced) from January to November 2025, straining Afghanistan’s limited resources and risking further displacement cycles.
Amnesty International has urged halting forced repatriations, warning of serious harm to returnees.
Afghanistan grapples with recent earthquakes, climate vulnerability, sanctions, and acute food insecurity affecting over 17 million people (per WFP’s latest IPC report).
These events underscore the urgent need for international aid and winter halts to deportations to prevent more losses.
