RASC News Agency: Thousands of Afghanistani citizens, relocated to third countries following the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. forces, continue to languish in “prison-like” camps, plagued by uncertainty and despair. According to a Guardian report, three years after fleeing Afghanistan, many of these evacuees see no clear prospects for resettlement in another country. U.S. officials have yet to disclose the precise number of Afghanistani nationals still stranded in these third countries. Human rights advocates estimate that hundreds remain confined in temporary facilities across more than 36 nations. The Guardian, citing U.S. government documents obtained through legal action against the Departments of Defense and State, revealed that these displaced individuals face a host of challenges, including mental health struggles, inadequate living conditions, family separations, and the constant fear of forced repatriation to Afghanistan.
While the exact locations of all camps are undisclosed, refugee rights groups have identified the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Germany, Qatar, and Kosovo as primary host nations. Recently, the U.S. government reached an agreement with the Philippines to temporarily house eligible Afghanistani evacuees awaiting case processing for resettlement in the United States. As of April 2023, more than 2,800 individuals were held in Qatar, 1,256 in the UAE, 259 in Kosovo, and dozens more in other countries. The U.S. State Department has since reported that most evacuees in the UAE have been relocated, with only approximately 50 remaining in limbo.
A State Department spokesperson told the Guardian that efforts to resettle eligible Afghanistani nationals have been ongoing since 2021. The spokesperson emphasized that applicants living in third countries are housed under U.S.-approved arrangements, with expenses covered by the U.S. government. Moreover, the United States issued over 33,000 Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) to Afghanistani nationals in fiscal year 2024. Since the announcement of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in July 2021, over 1.6 million Afghanistani citizens have fled the country, seeking safety and stability abroad. However, for many of these evacuees, the journey toward a new life remains fraught with challenges and uncertainty.
