ISLAMABAD (AP) — Thousands of Afghans are fleeing Iran every day to escape deportation and war, a major international aid agency and Taliban official said Friday.
Millions of Afghans have called Iran home for decades. But they have been leaving in large numbers since October 2023, when authorities announced a crackdown on foreigners who it said were in the country illegally. Neighboring Pakistan launched a similar campaign around the same time.
Iran’s war with Israel, which started last Friday, is also forcing them to flee as Israeli strikes target the country.
Some 5,000 Afghans are returning daily through the Islam Qala crossing in western Herat province, according to the aid agency World Vision International.
There were people “at risk, distressed, and in great need” among the 500,000 forcibly returned from Iran to Herat this year, the agency said.
“Many require support to find food and shelter, get hold of everyday essentials, and connect with their families before travelling to their hometowns or villages,” said Mark Calder, the agency's communications and advocacy director for Afghanistan. “But they are returning to a country in which basic services are already in crisis.”
Swinging U.S. aid cuts and a shortfall in funding for humanitarian assistance have closed hundreds of health facilities and reduced other essential services like education.
The U.N. said Thursday that the Afghanistan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan had received just 18% of its annual funding by June 19, disrupting the delivery of aid to millions, including women and children, returnees, refugees, displaced communities and other vulnerable and marginalized groups.
Calder warned that the number needing lifesaving aid could “spiral further” if the international community did not look to support emergency needs and Afghans’ efforts to start over in their homeland.
Ahmadullah Muttaqi, head of Herat’s Refugee Information and Public Affairs Committee, on Friday told The Associated Press that before June 13 between 3,500 and 4,000 Afghans without documentation were entering the province daily because of Iran’s deportation drive. This figure has doubled since the outbreak of the war.
Between 800 and 1,000 Afghans with passports were arriving in Herat every day before the war. This figure is now around 4,000, Muttaqi added.
FILE - Afghan refugee women enter a health center at Kababayan Refugee Camp in Peshawar, Pakistan, on April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Muhammad Sajjad, File)
Dallas (7-8-1) at N.Y. Giants (3-13)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, Fox
BetMGM NFL Odds: Cowboys by 3 1/2
Against the spread: Cowboys 7-9; Giants 7-8-1
Series record: Dallas leads 78-47-2.
Last week: Cowboys beat Commanders 30-23; Giants beat Raiders 34-10.
Last meeting: Dallas beat Washington 40-37 in OT on Sept. 14.
Cowboys offense: overall (1), rush (9), pass (1), scoring (4)
Cowboys defense: overall (30), rush (t20), pass (32), scoring (32)
Giants offense: overall (15), rush (6), pass (21), scoring (21)
Giants defense: overall (29), rush (30), pass (20), scoring (26)
Turnover differential: Cowboys minus-8; Giants minus-3
QB Dak Prescott has a 14-game winning streak against the Giants since two of his losses in a 13-3 rookie season in 2016 came against them. It’s the second-longest winning streak against a single opponent in NFL history behind Bob Griese, who beat Buffalo 17 consecutive times from 1968-79. Prescott will get credit for a Dallas victory because he is expected to start. The question is how long he will play in a finale with no playoff implications. Either way, this will go down as one of Prescott’s best seasons. He enters the final week first in the NFL with 4,482 yards passing.
WR Wan'Dale Robinson gets to put the finishing touches on his case for a new contract, either with the team that drafted him or elsewhere. Robinson last week became the first player 5-foot-8 or shorter to eclipse 1,000 yards receiving since 5-7 Richard Johnson in 1989 and just the third since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. And he's playing against a Dallas secondary without Trevon Diggs, who was released on Tuesday.
Cowboys' offensive line vs. Giants' pass rush. New York's Brian Burns trails only Cleveland record-chasing Myles Garrett in sacks with a career-high 16 1/2, while rookie Abdul Carter has heated up with 3 1/2 over the past four games. Dallas would like to keep Prescott upright, no matter how long he plays.
Cowboys: RBs Javonte Williams (stinger) and Malik Davis (calf/eye) have been ruled out. The backs with a chance to be active have 54 career carries among them: FB Hunter Luepke (32) and rookies Jaydon Blue (22) and Phil Mafah (0). Mafah has been out all season with a shoulder injury, and is listed as questionable ... LB DeMarvion Overshown and rookie CB Shavon Revel have been dealing with concussions and won't play.
Giants: Two starters in the secondary are out: CB Cor'Dale Flott (knee) and S Jevon Holland (knee/concussion).
The Cowboys have won nine in a row against the Giants and 16 of the past 17. It's the longest active series in the league. Dallas' last winning streak this long was against Carolina from 1998-2012. ... Each team has been eliminated from playoff contention. ... The Cowboys are trying to avoid consecutive losing seasons for the first time since going 5-11 under coach Dave Campo from 2000-02. ... New York can still secure the top draft pick with a loss and Las Vegas victory against Kansas City or could drop as low as No. 7. ... This is expected to be interim coach Mike Kafka's final game with the Giants.
Cowboys WR George Pickens needs 80 yards receiving to reach 1,500 in his Dallas debut after the offseason trade from Pittsburgh. His only 1,000-yard season in three years with the Steelers came in 2023, when he had 1,140. … Ferguson needs one touchdown catch to tie the franchise tight end record of nine, held by Jason Witten and Billy Joe Dupree. … In their Week 2 game, K Brandon Aubrey had a tying 64-yard field goal on the final play of regulation and a winning 46-yarder as time expired in overtime in the 40-37 Dallas victory. ... Giants rookie QB Jaxson Dart has accounted for 22 TDs (13 passing and nine rushing) with just five interceptions, in his first 11 professional starts. ... Robinson led the team with 113 yards receiving at Las Vegas. He had 142 in Week 2 at Dallas, which was before top receiver Malik Nabers was knocked out for the season with a torn ACL in his right knee. ... LB Bobby Okereke intercepted Geno Smith and had seven tackles last week. ... CB Deonte Banks returned a kickoff 95 yards for a TD against the Raiders.
Daily fantasy players might be able to cash in if Giants RB Tyrone Tracy has another big game rushing and receiving.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
FILE - Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) is sacked by Kayvon Thibodeaux (5) during a NFL football game against the New York Giants on Sept. 14, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Matt Patterson, File)
FILE - Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens (3) carries the ball after reception during a NFL football game against the New York Giants on Sept. 14, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Matt Patterson, File)
