The United States is considering offering more than 1,100 former Afghan allies stranded at a Qatar processing camp a stark choice: resettle in the conflict‑ridden Democratic Republic of Congo or return to Taliban‑controlled Afghanistan. The proposal, revealed by activists, comes as the Trump administration pushes to shut down the as‑Sayliyah camp after its March 31 deadline.
These Afghans many of whom worked alongside US forces before the 2021 collapse of the Western‑backed Afghan government have been waiting in Qatar for onward resettlement, fearing persecution if forced back home. But according to Shawn VanDiver, a US Navy veteran and head of AfghanEvac, officials briefed him that DR Congo was being floated as the primary relocation option. He warned that the plan appears designed to make Afghans refuse relocation so they can be sent back to Afghanistan.
“You do not relocate vetted wartime allies, more than 400 of them children, into a country in the middle of its own collapse,” VanDiver said, pointing to Congo’s ongoing humanitarian crisis and active conflict involving Rwanda‑linked armed groups.
The US State Department declined to confirm Congo as a destination but said it is pursuing “voluntary resettlement” in a third country, calling it a way to ensure safety while maintaining US security priorities.
The idea has drawn sharp criticism in Washington. Senator Tim Kaine condemned the proposal as “insane,” arguing the US has a moral and strategic obligation to protect Afghans who risked their lives supporting American troops. Breaking that promise, he warned, would undermine future US partnerships.
More than 190,000 Afghans have already resettled in the United States since the Taliban takeover, but the broader refugee program has been severely restricted. Processing for Afghans was halted after a deadly shooting last year involving an Afghan national suffering from PTSD.
With the Qatar camp now overdue for closure and no clear plan in place, the fate of the remaining Afghans including interpreters, commandos, and families hangs in the balance.
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