For thousands of Afghan returnees, the dream of rebuilding their lives after years in exile has turned into a nightmare. Nawab Din, 55, returned to his village of Wadir in Kunar province four months ago after eight years in Pakistan.
His hope for stability was shattered three weeks ago when a magnitude 6.0 earthquake destroyed his home and farmland.
“We are living in tent camps now. Our houses were old, and none were left standing,” Din said. “We lost everything we had worked for in Pakistan, and now we lost everything here.”
Din’s story reflects the plight of more than four million Afghans who have returned from Iran and Pakistan since September 2023. Many fled persecution, including threats from ISIL, only to face homelessness, food insecurity, and the devastation of natural disasters upon return.
The August 31 earthquake killed approximately 2,200 people and destroyed over 5,000 homes in eastern Afghanistan, compounding a deep economic and social crisis.
Nearby, 58-year-old Sadat Khan in Barabat village also faces uncertainty. Returning from Pakistan due to failing health, Khan now lives among the rubble, struggling to feed his wife and seven children. “There is no work here.
I asked authorities for a tent, but we haven’t received anything. My uncle let us stay in one room for now, but winter is coming,” he said.
Water scarcity and malnutrition are major concerns for returnees. “Most people affected by the quake come to us with food deficiencies, especially children,” said Dr. Farida Safi, a nutritionist at a field hospital in Diwa Gul valley. “Their diet and nutrition were already poor before the disaster.”
In response, Kunar’s Governor Mawlawi Qudratullah announced plans to build a new town in Khas Kunar district, including 382 residential plots for returnees without homes or land. While the initiative is part of a national housing programme, it remains unclear how long it will take or whether farmland will be provided.
For those living in tents and beside the ruins of their homes, government promises feel distant. Din fears that aftershocks could continue to destroy the fragile shelters. “I don’t know if the government will relocate us or help rebuild,” he said. “We might be forced to continue living in camps as the aftershocks continue to hit.”
The situation in Kunar underscores the urgent need for comprehensive disaster response, housing support, and livelihood assistance for Afghan returnees, who face the compounded challenges of forced displacement, natural disasters, and poverty.
