US Considers Sending Afghan Refugees to Congo
The United States government is discussing the relocation of Afghan refugees to Congo. They are currently staying at a former US military base in Qatar. This plan was conveyed by AfghanEvac, a group assisting former US allies, on Tuesday (21/04).
Previously, these Afghans were moved to Qatar because they had assisted the US military. At that time, US-led international forces withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021. Now, around 1,100 Afghans, including about 400 children, are living in Camp As Sayliyah in Qatar.
The group includes interpreters who worked for the US military, the Afghan military command, and family members of US soldiers. This is according to a report by The New York Times.
What is known about this relocation plan?
AfghanEvac President Shawn VanDiver said his organisation suspects the US is attempting to return these former allies to Afghanistan, now controlled by the Taliban.
AfghanEvac described the Congo relocation plan as an effort to “create rejection”.
“(The US) is offering relocation to these families to Congo, which is actively at war. The US has already predicted that they will refuse. Then, that refusal will be used as a reason to return them to Afghanistan,” the organisation stated.
“Allies who helped during the war should not be moved arbitrarily. Moreover, more than 400 of them are children. Especially to a country gripped by crisis,” it added.
According to UN data, the Democratic Republic of Congo has around 6.9 million internally displaced persons, mainly in the eastern region. This is the site of fighting between the military and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels.
Additionally, more than 517,000 refugees from neighbouring countries are also in Congo. Most come from the Central African Republic, Rwanda, Burundi, and South Sudan.
The US State Department did not confirm that Congo is the relocation destination. However, they stated that the United States is considering “voluntary relocation” from Camp As Sayliyah in Qatar.
“Relocating them to a third-country camp is a positive solution. They are safer to start a new life outside Afghanistan. The safety and security of American citizens are also maintained,” said a State Department spokesperson.
Trump halts resettlement programme
More than 190,000 Afghans have settled in the United States since the Taliban regained power in August 2021. This occurred after the withdrawal of US-led international forces.
US President Donald Trump promised to restrict migration upon taking office in January 2025. He also halted the process of granting refugee status to Afghans. This decision was prompted by a shooting incident by an Afghan national against two National Guard members near the White House in November. One of them was killed. The perpetrator was known to have worked with US intelligence and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Trump has also set a deadline of 31 March to close Camp As Sayliyah in Qatar.