The United Nations suspended humanitarian operations at Islam Qala aid on Tuesday. Taliban authorities imposed new restrictions preventing female national staff from working at the Afghan-Iran border crossing. The move halts aid for over 60 per cent women and children among returnees.
This development deepens the Islam Qala humanitarian crisis. Over 1.2 million Afghans have returned through the crossing this year alone, most deported empty-handed from Iran. The suspension threatens regional stability in South Asia, where migration pressures already strain neighbours amid Afghanistan’s economic collapse.
UN Suspends Operations at Islam Qala
Indrika Ratwatte, UN humanitarian coordinator in Afghanistan, announced the immediate suspension. He cited additional restrictions introduced after a Monday meeting with Taliban officials.
“The UN and humanitarian partners have today suspended operations at the Islam Qala border between Afghanistan and Iran, following the introduction of additional restrictions preventing female national UN and partner staff from operating at the border,” Ratwatte said. He added: “Without female staff, we cannot collectively serve returning women and children under conditions of dignity and respect.”
The UN and NGO partners engage with de facto authorities. They remain hopeful solutions will allow resumption in a safe, culturally sensitive manner. Islam Qala serves as the primary entry point for Afghans expelled from Iran. More than 60 per cent of arrivals are women and children. Three in ten returning families are female-headed.
Taliban Female Staff Ban Triggers Border Islam Qala Aid Halt
New curbs create immediate operational challenges. They pose additional risks for returning people, particularly women and girls, Ratwatte warned. The UN refugee agency UNHCR suspended assistance earlier. It cited instructions from de facto authorities preventing Afghan female staff from working.
Taliban authorities did not respond to requests for comment on the restrictions or suspension. An Afghan worker for a UN agency in Herat reported no services provided at Islam Qala or Ansar camp. An NGO worker confirmed their organisation halted operations at the border.
Impact on Returnees Fuels Islam Qala Humanitarian Crisis
Over 1.2 million Afghans crossed Islam Qala from Iran this year. They form part of 2.2 million total returns, including 1.7 million from Iran. Most arrive with nothing after deportation. They face urgent needs for food, shelter, medical care and transportation.
Returnee Abdul Rasool said: “Refugees have received no attention and no help. The organisations keep saying aid is coming, but winter has arrived, and no help has reached us.” Mohammad Reza added: “Many refugees have been registered for five or six months, but still haven’t received any assistance.”
Civil activist Sayed Ashraf Sadat urged immediate resumption. “Humanitarian organisations play a fundamental role in assisting returnees and can meet the immediate needs for food and transportation at the Islam Qala border,” he said.
Aid workers stress female staff remain essential. Cultural norms require women to assist female returnees during screenings, health checks and distributions. Without them, services violate principles of dignity. Vulnerable groups risk exploitation or inadequate support.
Women Workers Critical Amid Mass Deportations
Iran hosts millions of Afghan migrants. Economic pressures prompted mass expulsions in 2025. Daily arrivals reached thousands at peak times. Returnees enter a country with collapsed economy, limited jobs and strained public services.
Herat province, where Islam Qala sits, already hosts displaced populations. Winter temperatures drop below freezing, heightening risks of hypothermia and illness without blankets or heating. Children face malnutrition threats. Women, especially female-headed households, struggle to access markets or work under Taliban decrees.
Background
Taliban restrictions on women escalated since 2021 takeover. In 2022, authorities banned Afghan women from NGO work. The measure extended to UN agencies in 2023. Exceptions allowed operations in health and education. Yet periodic curbs disrupted programmes.
All Afghan UN female employees have worked from home for two months. NGOs retain limited field deployment of women. September 2025 saw fresh limits on women nationals in UN roles. The Islam Qala measures appear as border-specific enforcement.
Previous aid pauses occurred over similar issues. Negotiations often restored partial access, but consistency remains elusive. Roza Otunbayeva, UNAMA head, called the border situation a “test of our collective humanity” in July. She warned Afghanistan cannot absorb the shock alone.
What’s Next
UN teams continue dialogue with Taliban officials. Partners seek swift lifting of restrictions to restart services.
Deportations from Iran show no slowdown. Thousands cross weekly, adding pressure. Prolonged suspension risks lives as winter advances. Aid agencies prepare contingency plans, but on-site presence remains vital.
Observers watch for Taliban concessions. Past patterns suggest partial exemptions possible, though full equality unlikely. Humanitarian needs surpass $3 billion annually for Afghanistan. Funding shortfalls already cut programmes. The Islam Qala aid suspended status underscores fragile aid delivery under gender restrictions. Resolution is urgent to prevent further suffering among women workers and returnee families.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, November 6th, 2025
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