Kabul, April 25
The ruling Taliban regime in Afghanistan on Saturday asserted that there are no security threats in the country and no citizen is compelled to leave on account of security considerations. Responding to media reports suggesting that around 1100 Afghans awaiting US visa processing in Qatar may be relocated to the Congo, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan, stated that the returnees can come back home with "full confidence" and "peace of mind".
Afghan media outlet Amu TV reported that more than 1100 Afghans remain in limbo at Camp As Sayliyah (CAS) in Qatar - many of them former US allies evacuated after the Taliban's return to power in 2021, including interpreters, members of Afghan special operations forces and their families.
According to the news report, relocating some of these evacuees to the Democratic Republic of Congo is being considered by the US administration even as several US lawmakers and Senators have criticised the move, warning that it could expose them to new risks.
It was mentioned that many of those in Qatar have already undergone vetting for resettlement in the United States and are waiting without clarity about their future for more than a year.
Reacting to the developments, Kabul said that Afghanistan constitutes the shared homeland of all Afghans and invites all those concerned, as well as others sharing a similar situation, to return to their homeland.
"IEA-MoFA stands ready to engage with all countries, within the ambit of bilateral consular relations and an organised mechanism to safeguard the rights of its citizens and underscores to all sides that there exist no security threats in Afghanistan and none is compelled to leave the country on account of security considerations," read the statement issued by spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi.
It added that those Afghans intending to travel to another country may do so at an appropriate juncture through legal and dignified channels.
Earlier this week, Richard Bennett, the UN special rapporteur for Afghanistan, raised concerns over reported plans by European officials to host Taliban representatives for talks on deporting Afghan migrants, warning that such returns could violate international law.
"Reports of EU hosting Taliban officials to discuss deporting Afghans are seriously concerning. Any returns risk breaching the principle of non-refoulement due to widespread human rights violations including against women, human rights defenders and former public servants," Bennett posted on X.
His comments, reported Afghan media outlet Amu tv, come as European Union officials are reportedly considering holding talks with a Taliban delegation in Brussels on the issue.
"The proposed talks, which have not been formally confirmed, are expected to focus on the logistics of returning Afghan nationals without legal status in the bloc, including flight arrangements and conditions upon arrival in Kabul. The plans have already drawn criticism from some European lawmakers," Amu TV reported.
- IANS
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