United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi arrived in Kabul on Saturday for meetings with Taliban officials to assess the situation of Afghan migrants who have been forcibly deported from neighbouring countries.

The visit comes amid a sharp rise in deportations from Iran and Pakistan, which have returned nearly two million Afghans over the past seven months, according to international reports.

The Taliban’s Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation said its Deputy Minister for Finance and Administration, Kaleem-ur-Rahman Fani, welcomed Grandi at Kabul International Airport. The two officials held discussions on the conditions of returnees and the broader challenges surrounding the deportation process.

Taliban officials emphasised the immediate and long-term needs of returnees, including access to emergency assistance, healthcare, education, and shelter.

The UN has raised increasing concern over the mass deportations, warning of the humanitarian and human rights implications, particularly for vulnerable groups.

The visit by the UN refugee chief follows broader international calls for the suspension of forced returns, citing instability and lack of basic services in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.