Afghan children are seen at a temporary camp in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, June 2, 2025. A total of 500,000 Afghan refugees have returned to their homeland Afghanistan from neighboring Pakistan and Iran in April and May, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

KABUL, June 1 (Xinhua) -- A total of 500,000 Afghan refugees have returned to their homeland Afghanistan from neighboring Pakistan and Iran in April and May, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

"Support is needed more than ever as returnees face an uncertain future and struggle to rebuild their lives," said the UNHCR in a statement on Sunday.

Over 2 million Afghans have reportedly returned home from neighboring Pakistan and Iran in the past year.

The Pakistani government is set to expel 3 million Afghans to their home country in 2025, while Iranian officials have asked undocumented foreign nationals to end their illegal stay and return to their homes.

The Afghan interim government has been repeatedly calling upon Afghan refugees to end living abroad as refugees and return home to contribute to the rebuilding of their war-torn homeland. ■

Afghans are seen at a temporary camp in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, June 2, 2025. A total of 500,000 Afghan refugees have returned to their homeland Afghanistan from neighboring Pakistan and Iran in April and May, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

An Afghan child is seen at a temporary camp in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, June 2, 2025. A total of 500,000 Afghan refugees have returned to their homeland Afghanistan from neighboring Pakistan and Iran in April and May, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

Newly arrived Afghan refugees settle into a temporary camp in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, June 2, 2025. A total of 500,000 Afghan refugees have returned to their homeland Afghanistan from neighboring Pakistan and Iran in April and May, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)