Afghanistan urges migrants in Qatar to return as US Congo plan backfires
Taliban-led Foreign Ministry says country is safe as US lawmakers decry reported proposal as “betrayal”
KABUL, Afghanistan (MNTV) — Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry has called on Afghan migrants waiting in camps in Qatar for U.S. visas to return home, following reports they could be transferred to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
In a statement, the ministry of the Islamic Emirate described Afghanistan as the shared home of all citizens and said there were no security threats facing individuals inside the country.
“The Islamic Emirate once again assures its compatriots that Afghanistan is the common home of all Afghans,” the statement said, inviting those abroad to return “with confidence” and pledging that the country would welcome them.
The ministry also said it was ready to cooperate with other countries through consular channels to establish mechanisms to safeguard the rights of Afghans.
The appeal comes amid reports that Afghan migrants awaiting resettlement in Qatar could be relocated to Congo, a move that has triggered criticism from U.S. lawmakers and officials.
Several prominent figures — including Bernie Sanders, Peter Welch, Amy Klobuchar and California Gov. Gavin Newsom — have condemned the reported plan, calling it unjust and urging Congress to intervene.
Welch said the proposal to send Afghans to Congo, which he described as unsafe and unfamiliar, was “cruel and un-American,” and called on lawmakers to block it.
Paul Rieckhoff, a former U.S. military officer, said Afghans evacuated by the United States had been left in limbo in Qatar for more than a year and warned that transferring them to Congo would represent a “disgusting and shameful betrayal.”
However, U.S. President Donald Trump has said he was not aware of any such plan.
At the same time, Shawn VanDiver, head of the resettlement advocacy group AfghanEvac, rejected concerns raised by the administration about insufficient vetting of Afghan migrants.
VanDiver said extensive background checks had been carried out, noting that vetting procedures initiated under previous administrations had been maintained and expanded using advanced tools, including artificial intelligence and classified systems.
The issue gained attention after The New York Times reported that more than 1,100 Afghan migrants in Qatar had been given two options: relocation to Congo or return to Afghanistan, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding their future.
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