The Harrowing Trek: Afghan Migrants' Near-Death Journey to Hope

On an average day at the Islam Qala border crossing between Afghanistan and Iran in Herat province, a young man emerged from the haze, his disability evident as he struggled with a travel bag in his left hand. Narrowly escaping death, Javeed* lost his right forearm working as an undocumented migrant in Iran.

"I was determined to do whatever it took to leave Afghanistan," Javeed recalls. He was driven by hope for a better life and an ambition to end his family’s generational poverty.

Devastated by poverty and instability, Javeed is one of thousands of Afghans who, each year, embark on dangerous journeys to chase the elusive promise of hope and opportunity.

Since the De-facto Authorities took over in August 2021, Afghanistan has experienced significant economic contraction and a rise in poverty levels. As of early 2024, over half of Afghanistan's population is living in poverty, with nearly 36 per cent unable to afford sufficient food, according to a World Bank report.

In a downward trend, 3.42 million Afghans have left the country since August 2021 whereas the returns have increased, with 2.81 million people returning to the country. Of those who migrated, 84 per cent moved to neighbouring countries, predominantly Iran, and almost 250,000 heading to Europe and Türkiye.

Approximately 70 per cent of Afghans migrating to Iran cited the lack of job opportunities as the main factor driving their migration according to the latest IOM data.

The number of returnees from Iran remains consistently high. In 2023, IOM registered nearly 1 million returns, with 70 per cent being undocumented and 60 per cent forcibly returned.

Javeed’s journey began in his hometown in Nangahar, eastern Afghanistan. "I borrowed some money and set my sights on Kabul to begin this journey," he recounts.

Many Afghans migrate through unofficial routes due to difficulties in obtaining passports and visas, often paying smugglers to cross informal borders. To finance their journey, most migrants have to borrow money or sell family possessions. It’s an emotional dilemma as they weigh the potential rewards against the significant risks and sacrifices.

"We left Kabul for Nimruz [southwestern Afghanistan] where smugglers put us up in very crowded and unsuitable accommodation for the night, and the biting cold made sleeping difficult. At sunrise, we were hurried into a waiting minivan with no time to hesitate," Javeed recalls.

Smugglers, seeking to maximize their profits, often overload these vehicles, putting the lives of migrants at grave risk. The overcrowded minivan carrying Javeed and nearly 30 other passengers soon headed for the Iranian border.

Javeed eventually reached the rugged Moshkil route near the Iranian border. Here, the smugglers told the migrants they had to continue and cross the border on their own. "We went on a day-and-a-half-long journey, narrowly escaping death a few times as we climbed dangerous, rugged paths to avoid the border army, all with our heavy backpacks," Javeed recalls.

Upon arrival in Iran, Javeed's hopes rested on the smugglers from the same network who, instead of helping, took advantage of the migrants' vulnerability, demanding additional fees on top of the 150,000 Afghani (approximately USD 2,130) they had already paid.

"They held us captive, beat us mercilessly with iron pipes, and pressured us to call our friends and families for more money," said Javeed.

He eventually managed to escape the smugglers and continued his journey northward in Iran, facing harsh elements. “I slept in the cold and rain for days because I couldn’t afford accommodation.”

Arriving in the Iranian capital, Tehran, Javeed secured daily wage work at a construction site, hoping to save money for his onward migration journey to Europe. Instead, tragedy struck, leading to a horrific accident that cost him his forearm and nearly claimed his life.

"The crane operator lost control, and the wire snapped, releasing the load that severed my forearm immediately," Javeed recounts, pausing to remember the excruciating pain he endured. "You cannot imagine the agony."

Javeed's family had to borrow money to fund his medical treatment, putting them under even more financial strain. As a person with a disability who had embarked on a gruelling and costly journey, Javeed's hope of continuing his migration in search of economic opportunities was fading away.

Alongside Javeed throughout this ordeal, was Mirwais*, the eldest son in a family of eight, burdened with the responsibility of providing for his loved ones. His father, too old to work, relied on Mirwais as the sole breadwinner.

Along the way, Mirwais saw families, some with young children, all driven by the same desperate hope for a better life.

Mirwais, who was trying to migrate to Europe, experienced a harrowing ordeal as he neared the Iranian-Turkish border. A deep ditch with barbed wire blocked their path. Determined to overcome this final hurdle, he attempted to cross, only to sustain serious injuries in the process. “I saw a few people bleeding to death,” recalled Mirwais.

Throughout their journeys, Afghans who don’t have access to travel documentation face a higher risk of human rights violations in neighbouring and transit countries. These include the use of force, and other forms of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.

Javeed and Mirwais were eventually forcibly returned to Afghanistan, arriving at the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reception centre in Islam Qala. Here, both forcibly and voluntarily returned Afghan migrants receive screening for vulnerabilities and are provided with refreshments and hot meals before being transported to IOM transit centres.

Upon arrival at the transit centre, migrants receive additional support, including overnight accommodation, hot meals, and health care provided by IOM and its partners. Vulnerable undocumented returnees, such as Javeed and Mirwais, also receive specialized protection support.

Javeed now plans to pool his resources to open a retail store, but his ultimate dream is to become a journalist.

"I may have lost my arm, but I didn't lose my spirit. I believe in the power of education, and I hope to pursue my dream of studying journalism so that I can tell the stories of people like me. I want to shed light on the struggles and hopes of Afghan migrants and inspire positive change," said Javeed.

"I urge the Afghan youth to not place their trust in smugglers promising safe passage. There are no shortcuts to a better life, and the dangers we face are often far greater than we can imagine," said Mirwais.

IOM operates a network of eight reception and transit centres across the border provinces of Herat and Nimroz (on the border with Iran) and Kandahar and Nangarhar (on the border with Pakistan).

From January 2023 to May 2024, IOM provided post-arrival assistance to 805,825 returning Afghan migrants at these centres. This includes specialized protection support for 23,298 vulnerable undocumented returnees, made possible through funding from the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), the US State Department Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), Government of Japan, Switzerland's State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS),  and Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

IOM and its partners reiterate their call to all countries to immediately halt the forced returns of Afghans, both in the short and long term, until conditions are established to ensure safe, dignified, and voluntary returns, regardless of legal status. IOM advocates for the establishment of regular migration pathways and access to documentation to minimize irregular migration and reduce risks for vulnerable migrants.

Additionally, IOM calls for increased support for livelihoods and services to improve living conditions in Afghan communities and mitigate the need for irregular migration as a negative coping mechanism.

*Names and identifying details have been changed to protect the identity of returnees.

This story was written by Avand Azeez Agha, IOM Afghanistan Communications Officer. For more information, please contact avhasan@iom.int