WFP warns of deepening crisis in Afghanistan as insecurity flares on eastern, southern and western border
GENEVA – Afghanistan is seeing an escalation of insecurity on its borders— increased fighting on the eastern and southern frontier with Pakistan, and ongoing violence in Iran. This renewed fighting is putting immense pressure on communities already vulnerable and worn down by years of crisis, conflict and chaos.
Let me begin with the eastern and southern border.
Afghanistan shares an approximately 2,400kilometre border with Pakistan, touching nearly one third of its provinces. Since 26 February, violence has escalated across the Durand Line, triggering displacement of approximately 20,000 families across the Eastern, Southeastern and Southern regions. Cross border violence and air and ground strikes have affected more than 30 districts in Nangarhar, Nuristan, Kunar, Laghman, Paktika, Paktya, Khost, Kandahar, Helmand provinces.
Across these provinces, WFP has been forced to temporarily suspend emergency, social protection, school feeding and livelihood activities. Approximately 160,000 people have been impacted by the suspension of emergency food distributions.
You may recall the earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan on 31 August. Communities in mountainous Kunar and Nangarhar provinces—already among the most vulnerable—were hardest hit, losing family members, homes and livelihoods. Today, those very same communities are once again on the front line, now facing the escalation of conflict with Pakistan.
The affected districts were already facing severe food insecurity, with more than half in Emergency levels of hunger, while four of the affected provinces are experiencing critical levels of acute malnutrition – leaving families in an increasingly dire situation.
On the other side of the country, on Afghanistan’s western border, violence in Iran is sparking fears of a surge in returnees. We witnessed a similar surge in returns during increased fighting in June 2025. For many, coming back to Afghanistan means not only facing poverty, unemployment and hunger but also renewed instability.
Saeed Azeez, a 36-year-old father of four, returned from Iran only months ago, where he lived on a modest factory wage – but able to feed his family. Back in Afghanistan, he found himself with no home, no work and some days nothing more than bread to eat. Injured and unable to work, and with restrictions preventing his wife from working, his family now survives on WFP rations. As Saeed put it, during Ramadan: “We barely have any food to break our fast.” His story illustrates how returnees—already among the most vulnerable—are seeing renewed instability, poverty and hunger.
In 2025, WFP supported over half a million returnees at border points with Iran and Pakistan. Assistance included cash, fortified biscuits and nutritious food products for women and children.
Afghanistan already saw an influx of more than 2.5 million returnees from Iran and Pakistan in 2025. Even before the latest escalation, projections estimated a similar influx in 2026—but renewed fighting may drive those numbers even higher, placing unbearable strain on a woefully underfunded humanitarian response.
Afghanistan remains one of the world’s most severe hunger crises with one in three Afghans—17.4 million people in urgent need of food assistance. Child malnutrition has also reached worrying levels, with 3.7 million children projected to need treatment in 2026.
With a new crisis in the making and the current funding outlook, WFP will not be able to reach families fleeing Iran and Pakistan and those internally displaced by the cross- border conflict in Afghanistan.
For our winter response this year, WFP was only able to provide food assistance to a fraction of those in need. WFP warns that by April 2026 funding for emergency operations will run out, putting millions at risk of losing critical support.
Our funding need for the next six months stands at US$313 million. WFP urges the international community to honor their commitment and not abandon Afghanistan in its hour of greatest need.
Note to the editor:
Video material available here
Photos available here
# # #
The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.
Follow us on Twitter @wfp_media