1 month ago
The Trump administration is successful discussions to perchance nonstop up to 1,100 Afghans who helped US forces during nan warfare successful Afghanistan to nan Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a non-profit confirmed connected Tuesday.
The resettlement talks, first reported by nan New York Times, travel aft Donald Trump’s determination to extremity an initiative that allowed Afghans who assisted US warfare efforts to use to resettle successful nan US.
This group of much than 1,000 Afghans, who person been waylaid successful Qatar for a year, reportedly includes interpreters arsenic good arsenic relatives of US subject members. The group besides includes much than 400 children.
According to the Times, nan US evacuated these Afghans to Qatar for their protection because they supported US subject efforts successful their location country, which, since nan US subject withdrawal, is erstwhile again nether Taliban control.
The DRC, meanwhile, is suffering from an tremendous displacement situation pursuing decades of conflict and instability. According to nan UN Refugee Agency, 8.2 cardinal group were displaced arsenic of September 2025, pinch this number expected to scope 9 cardinal by year’s end.
Shawn VanDiver, president of nan non-profit AfghanEvac, told nan Guardian that he had heard astir these discussions from group at, and around, nan US authorities department.
VanDiver said that 900 of nan 1,100 Afghans successful Qatar were eligible for resettlement successful nan US. For nan 200 that are not eligible, nan US could talk to countries different than nan DRC – which is reeling from unit – astir accepting them.
“The others should conscionable travel here,” VanDiver said. “This is an easy solve: ‘Hey, invited to America.’” VanDiver said betwixt 100 to 150 of these Afghans are family members of progressive work work members, while much than 700 are women and children.
“It’s insane – this could each beryllium fixed conscionable by a argumentation change,” VanDiver said, saying that nan Department of Homeland Security could let successful Afghans who person already qualified for nan program. “They tin travel present – there’s nary rule that is preventing them.”
It’s besides imaginable that nan DRC talks will not materialize into existent resettlement, leaving this group of Afghans successful still much limbo. Given their practice pinch US forces, returning to Afghanistan would apt consequence successful death, VanDiver said.
Asked for comment, a authorities section spokesperson said they are continuing to place options for voluntary resettlement of nan Afghans presently surviving astatine Camp As-Sayliyah (CAS) successful Qatar and claimed moving this group to “to a 3rd state is simply a affirmative resolution” for their information and that of Americans. The spokesperson added “the Afghan nationals astatine CAS do not presently person a viable pathway to nan United States”.
The authorities section says it’s successful routine, nonstop connection pinch campy residents connected resettlement initiatives but because of nan sensitivity, they won’t uncover specifications surrounding nan negotiations.
