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Afghanistan · Safety report last updated
As of October 2026, Afghānī scores 18/100 on the IsMyTripSafe composite safety index — verdict: elevated risk — reconsider. Afghanistan is extremely unsafe for travelers, with all governments advising against any travel. The main risks for visitors are pickpocketing (moderate risk) and robbery (high risk). The U.S. State Department rates it Level 4 (Do Not Travel).
Safety Report
IsMyTripSafe.com
Afghanistan · Assessed 25 October 2026
18
/ 100
Safer than ~6% of countries
Score capped at 20 — Level 4 advisory — "Do Not Travel". No other indicator can raise the score above this.
What drives this score
01 · Official Guidance
Do Not Travel
“Do not traveldue to civil unrest, crime, terrorism, risk of wrongful detention, kidnapping, natural disasters, and limited health facilities. Do not travel to Afghanistan for any reason We urge American citizens in Afghanistan to leave immediately.”
Updated Fri, 20 Feb 2026
Full advisory →Advises against all travel
“Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). FCDO advises against all travel to Afghanistan You should not travel to Afghanistan.”
Updated 2026-10-07T10:23:54Z
Full advisory →Avoid all travel
“Canada's official risk level for Afghanistan: avoid all travel.”
Updated 2026-10-14T07:01:50.7595549-04:00
Full advisory →02 · Evidence Signals
Mugging & robbery risk
City SignalCity Web Research
Pickpocketing & theft risk
City SignalCity Web Research
Visitor safety sentiment
City SignalCity Web Research
Homicide rate
Robbery / mugging
HighArmed robbery and mugging are common, particularly targeting foreigners and aid workers in cities like Kabul.
Pickpocketing
ModeratePickpocketing and bag-snatching occur in crowded areas such as Kabul's Old City and bazaars, though violent crime is a more significant concern.
03 · Environment
04 · Institutions
05 · Field Research
Traveller sentiment score
Extremely Negative
34/100
Traveler sentiment is overwhelmingly negative due to the extreme risks, with multiple sources highlighting the volatility and danger.
Afghanistan is extremely unsafe for travelers, with all governments advising against any travel.
The country faces severe risks from conflict, terrorism, crime, and arbitrary detention. Limited health facilities and a volatile political situation further compound these dangers. Travel insurance is unlikely to cover any incidents.
Recent developments
Common scams
Full briefing
Afghanistan is an extremely high-risk destination, and all official government advisories strongly recommend against any travel. The country faces pervasive threats from conflict, terrorism, and crime, with particular risks of kidnapping and wrongful detention for foreigners. The U.S. Department of State, UK Foreign Office, and Government of Canada all maintain 'Do Not Travel' or 'Avoid All Travel' advisories, citing the volatile security situation and limited consular support.
Recent assessments in October 2026 consistently rate Afghanistan as a high-risk country, with safety scores reflecting extreme danger. Armed robbery and mugging are reported as common, especially in urban centers like Kabul, where foreigners and aid workers are frequently targeted. While pickpocketing and bag-snatching are also noted in crowded areas, the threat of violent crime is far more significant.
Travelers should be acutely aware of the presence of landmines and unexploded ordnance across the country, necessitating strict adherence to well-worn paths and avoidance of any marked hazardous areas. Furthermore, the legal and social environment under the Taliban administration is highly restrictive, with severe penalties for infractions. Internet scams targeting individuals seeking to travel or those claiming to be in Afghanistan have also been reported. Given these overwhelming risks, any travel to Afghanistan is strongly discouraged.
Was this Afghānī, Afghanistan report helpful?
06 · Neighbourhoods
Our field research rated 6 Afghānī districts for visitors and 6 best avoided. See them plotted on the Afghānī safety map.
Kabul Old CityavoidHigh risk of pickpocketing, bag-snatching, and general crime; avoid due to historical safety concerns.
KandaharavoidHigh risk of armed robbery and mugging, particularly targeting foreigners.
KabulavoidGeneral high risk due to crime, terrorism, and civil unrest; avoid unless essential and with extreme caution.
HeratavoidWhile historically a Silk Road city, current advisories indicate high risk across the country.
Mazar-e-SharifavoidMentioned in UN-Habitat reports on urban safety, but overall country risk remains high.
BalkhavoidHistoric city, but current advisories indicate high risk across the country.
07 · After Dark
Armed robbery and mugging are common, particularly targeting foreigners and aid workers in cities like Kabul.
After dark, be most careful around Kabul Old City, Kandahar, Kabul, Herat. Stick to busy, well-lit streets and licensed taxis or ride-hail late at night.
08 · Questions
Afghanistan is extremely unsafe for travelers, with all governments advising against any travel. The country faces severe risks from conflict, terrorism, crime, and arbitrary detention. Limited health facilities and a volatile political situation further compound these dangers. Travel insurance is unlikely to cover any incidents. (Assessed 25 October 2026.)
Safety is not one number, and this Afghānī report does not pretend it is: the score is re-weighted for who is travelling. A woman travelling alone, a family with children and a solo backpacker face different street-level risks, so the headline score shifts and the report leads with the findings that matter for that group. Personalize this report in one click to see the 2026 score and safety briefing for your specific travellers.
Field research flags Kabul Old City, Kandahar, Kabul, Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, Balkh as best avoided. See the district-by-district safety map.
Afghānī ranks #4 of 5 Afghanistan destinations we've assessed, scoring 18/100. See the Afghanistan safety overview for the full list.
The score blends 12+ public data sources — government advisories, UNODC/World Bank crime statistics, FBI crime data for U.S. cities, WHO health data, live air quality and disaster alerts — with AI field research over current local reporting. The databases carry the bulk of the weight; the traveller-sentiment score from field research carries the rest. Full methodology.
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Raw data: afghani.json (CC BY 4.0).
