**Afghan Returnees from Iran Face Uncertain Future, Harsh Homecoming**
In a heart-wrenching turn of events, Afghan families returning from Iran are confronting a grim reality marked by uncertainty and despair. Sahed Ghoul, a father from Herat province, shares his harrowing experience after being forced to leave Iran, where he spent nearly a decade working as a laborer. Stripped of his refugee registration card, Ghoul was given no choice but to return to a homeland where the conditions are dire.
“My children weren’t allowed to attend school, and life had become unbearable,” Ghoul lamented, highlighting the struggles faced by many returnees. As he stands on the Afghan side of the border, he describes the environment as polluted and harsh, with dust swirling around and causing irritation to his eyes. The emotional toll is palpable; all he seeks is a place to live with dignity.
The situation is exacerbated by financial hardships. Ghoul’s family remains divided, with half still in Iran, attempting to recover a housing deposit that may never come. The painful irony is that they left Afghanistan for a better life, only to be forced back into a challenging existence. “If I could afford to return to Iran, I would,” he admits, encapsulating the desperation of many who find themselves in a similar predicament.
As these returnees grapple with their uncertain future, the urgent need for shelter and basic necessities looms large. The plight of Afghan families like Ghoul’s underscores a humanitarian crisis that demands immediate attention. With no savings and limited options, they are left to navigate a harsh reality that threatens their very survival. The call for help has never been more urgent—these families need support now.