, Nov. 12 -- Nearly nine in 10 Afghan families are skipping meals or sinking into debt as millions of returnees strain already scarce resources in one of the world's poorest nations, according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The UNDP report, released Wednesday, said Afghanistan - reeling from aid cuts, sanctions, and a series of natural disasters including a deadly earthquake in August - is struggling to absorb about 4.5 million returnees since 2023. This year alone, some 1.5 million Afghans have been forced back from Pakistan and Iran as the two countries ramped up efforts to expel refugees.

The report found that more than 90 percent of returnee households have taken on debt, ranging from $373 to $900, while the ave...