By Amjad Qaimkhani
WASHINGTON: The US State Department has begun offering financial incentives to Afghan citizens stranded at a camp in Qatar as preparations are made to close the facility, a move that human rights groups and some politicians have condemned as a “betrayal.”
Since early last year, more than 1,100 Afghans have been living at the former US military base, Camp As-Saliyah, unable to continue their resettlement in the United States after the Trump administration suspended their relocation. Many of those affected include Afghans who worked alongside US forces during the 20-year war in Afghanistan, as well as family members of American soldiers.
Senior Democrat Sydney Kamlager-Dove described the initiative as a betrayal of Afghan allies who had risked their lives to support US operations. US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, A. Paul Kapur, said around 150 individuals had accepted the financial offer, but their fate upon returning to Afghanistan remains uncertain. He emphasized that no one is being forcibly repatriated, and some are choosing to return voluntarily.
Kapur added that the US is also negotiating for transfers to third countries, as it is not feasible to keep residents in the camp indefinitely. Details of the payments have not been officially released, but Afghan Evac, an advocacy group, reported that the main applicant is being offered $4,500, with $1,200 for each additional accompanying family member.
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