Afghan War Veterans Face “Grave Risk” of Human Trafficking, U.S. Warns

WASHINGTON – The United States has issued a stark warning that former members of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF), abandoned and persecuted following the Taliban’s takeover, are facing a growing crisis of human trafficking and forced recruitment by foreign militias.

The alarm was raised in the U.S. State Department’s annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, released Tuesday, which highlights a desperate and escalating situation for the thousands of soldiers and police who served alongside U.S. and NATO troops.

A Population in Peril

According to the report, the collapse of the Afghan government in August 2021 did not end the dangers for its former security personnel. Instead, it created a perfect storm of vulnerability. Many remain in hiding within Afghanistan, living under constant threat of Taliban reprisals, while others have fled to neighboring countries, particularly Iran and Pakistan, often without legal status or means of support.

“These individuals, who once fought for their country’s stability, are now among its most vulnerable,” the report states. “Financial desperation, lack of job opportunities, and the ever-present threat of violence have left them acutely susceptible to exploitation by sophisticated trafficking networks and foreign military recruiters.”

The Dual Threat: Taliban Persecution and Foreign Recruitment

The report outlines a two-pronged crisis facing the former soldiers:

1. Internal Persecution: The Taliban continues to systematically target ex-ANSF members, despite initial promises of a general amnesty. Human rights groups have documented hundreds of cases of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and arbitrary detention, creating an environment of pervasive fear that drives many to flee.

2. External Exploitation: Once abroad, their military training makes them attractive targets. The State Department specifically cited the risk of recruitment for Russia’s war in Ukraine. “There is clear evidence that these vulnerable men are being coerced or deceived with false promises of lucrative work, only to be funneled toward front-line combat roles in Ukraine,” a senior official noted in a briefing.

Iran has been identified as a primary recruitment ground, where Russian-affiliated Wagner Group and other entities have been actively targeting Afghan refugees. The report suggests that some may be offered clemency from the Taliban or financial rewards for their families in exchange for service—deals that often amount to coercion.

Human Rights Organizations Sound the Alarm

Leading human rights organizations have echoed the State Department’s concerns. They warn that the exploitation of this skilled and traumatized population not only constitutes a grave human rights abuse but also poses a significant threat to regional and global security.

“The weaponization of Afghan refugees is a chilling new chapter in this crisis,” said a spokesperson for Human Rights Watch. “Forcing these men to fight in foreign wars exacerbates their trauma, fuels instability across the region, and deepens the catastrophic humanitarian situation inside Afghanistan, where their families often remain in dire need.”

Calls for International Action

In response to the findings, the United States is urging a coordinated international response. The State Department called on:

• International Partners to increase funding for humanitarian aid and establish robust monitoring and protection mechanisms for at-risk Afghans in third countries.

• Neighboring States, particularly Iran and Pakistan, to crack down on coercive recruitment rings operating within their borders and to uphold the rights of Afghan refugees.

• The Taliban to immediately cease the persecution of former security force members and honor their amnesty pledge.

The situation highlights the ongoing, tragic fallout from the withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan, leaving those who served as their allies facing a future of persecution, exploitation, and an increasingly desperate fight for survival.

 

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