The Wall Street Journal reported that the United States is in talks with at least two countries in sub-Saharan Africa and one in Southeast Asia to accept Afghan refugees stranded at a base in Qatar.
The refugees, numbering more than 1,100, have been stranded for about a year at the Al Sayliyah camp.
They were evacuated from Afghanistan by the previous US administration, but were barred from entering the United States after Donald Trump imposed travel restrictions on Afghan nationals. There are currently no signs that these restrictions will be lifted.
Following the fall of the republic, the Al Sayliyah camp served as a safe transit point for Afghans who had worked with the United States and were seeking entry to the country.
Applicants were required to remain there while awaiting final approval of their visas or refugee documentation.
Many Afghan nationals left the camp and resettled in the United States by 2024 after receiving final approvals. However, when Trump returned to the White House, the remaining residents became stranded.
Maintaining the Al Sayliyah facility costs the United States more than $10 million per month. Qatar has also privately urged Washington to shut down the camp as soon as possible.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the United States initially tried to persuade Arab and Muslim countries to accept the camp’s residents but was unsuccessful, prompting it to begin negotiations with more distant countries.
