KABUL - More than 4.8 million Afghan refugees have returned from Iran and Pakistan since September 2023, resulting in a 12-percent increase in Afghanistan's population, Tolo news reported on Wednesday, citing the United Nations.

According to the report, 2.8 million people returned to Afghanistan in 2025 alone. During the summer, up to 70,000 individuals crossed back into the country in a single day through the Islam Qala border crossing.

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About 91 percent of the returnees have resettled in their home provinces, while the remainder have moved to major urban areas. More than half of the returnees are women and children, raising concerns about their protection and future prospects, the report said.

Ensuring the safe, dignified, and orderly return of Afghan refugees remains a top priority, Tolo news quoted the UN as saying.

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The Afghan government has promised to provide aid to all returnees and support their reintegration, helping them contribute to Afghanistan's peace, stability, and economic development.