UNHCR chief visits Afghanistan as millions of returnees strain fragile economy

Millions of Afghan refugees have been forced to return from Pakistan and Iran in recent months, often under duress, placing enormous strain on Afghanistan's already fragile economy. Relief agencies estimate more than 3.5 million Afghans have returned since early last year, with unemployment rising and food prices surging in border provinces such as Nangarhar. Nearly 40 percent of Afghanistan's population faces high levels of food insecurity, and the UN warns that 3.7 million children under five