Special Immigrants from Afghanistan walk through the in-processing building after their evacuation at Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar, August 20, 2021. PHOTO | REUTERS
Dakar. US is in talks with the Democratic Republic of Congo to resettle 1,100 Afghans stranded in Qatar while awaiting US visas, according to an advocacy organisation working on their behalf.
The discussions underscore the legal and policy hurdles facing Afghans who fled the Taliban after US immigrant visa processing for Afghan nationals was effectively halted, leaving many in prolonged limbo more than four years after the US withdrawal from Kabul.
Shawn VanDiver, founder and president of #AfghanEvac, a coalition of veterans and advocacy groups, told Reuters that US officials had briefed him on plans to resettle the Afghans in Congo. He described the proposal as unacceptable, citing chronic insecurity in the central African nation.
The Afghans are currently housed at Camp As Sayliyah, a former US military base in Qatar, where they were transferred to complete immigrant visa processing for entry into the United States. Many are relatives of US citizens or worked with US-funded organisations during the 20-year war.
However, that processing largely ground to a halt after the Trump administration took office in January 2025, leaving applicants stranded despite prior vetting.
In June last year, Washington included Afghanistan on a list of 12 countries subject to a travel ban, with only a narrow exemption for Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) granted to Afghans who had served alongside US troops and diplomats.
The situation worsened in November when the US halted immigrant visa processing for all Afghan nationals following the fatal shooting of two US National Guard members by a former Afghan paramilitary fighter linked to the CIA.
Although a federal judge ruled in February that the suspension of SIV processing was unlawful, progress has remained effectively stalled, according to VanDiver.
#AfghanEvac said in a statement that the 1,100 Afghans under discussion have already undergone vetting for resettlement, raising further concerns about the delays and uncertainty surrounding their cases.
A US State Department spokesperson said resettling the group in a third country could provide an opportunity to start a new life outside Afghanistan, but did not confirm whether Congo was among the destinations being considered.
Authorities in Congo have not publicly responded to the reported discussions.
The proposal has drawn criticism from advocates, who argue that Congo’s long-running conflict and security challenges make it an unsuitable destination. The country has faced decades of instability and is currently battling a Rwanda-backed rebel movement in its eastern region.
VanDiver said these conditions make it unlikely that the Afghans would accept relocation there, warning that any refusal could be used to justify sending them back to Afghanistan.
“I worry that this is a way for officials to step back from responsibility, which could leave many of these individuals, including women and children, facing statelessness or being forced to return to dangerous conditions,” he said.
He added that the administration had previously explored relocating the group to Botswana, which he described as a more viable option.
However, that plan reportedly fell through after Botswana objected to a new US requirement for its citizens to post a $15,000 visa bond when seeking entry into the United States.
The uncertainty continues to cast doubt over the future of the stranded Afghans, many of whom had expected resettlement in the US after years of waiting.
