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Afghanistan opens doors to citizens stranded in Qatar, urges return home

By The South Asia Times

KABUL - The Afghan Taliban administration has invited its citizens stranded in Qatar while awaiting US visas to return home, following reports that they have been asked to choose between repatriation to Afghanistan or resettlement in a third country.

In a statement issued Saturday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Afghanistan’s ruling authority said the nation “constitutes the shared homeland of all Afghans” and that its “doors remain open” to those wishing to return.

“We invite all those concerned, as well as others sharing a similar situation, may return to their homeland with full confidence and peace of mind,” the statement read.

According to media reports, a number of Afghan nationals who had been awaiting US visas in Qatar have been given an ultimatum: return to Afghanistan or accept resettlement elsewhere. The Afghan foreign ministry did not specify which third countries might be options for resettlement.

For those who prefer not to return immediately, the ministry said they “may do so at an appropriate juncture through legal and dignified channels” to another country.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that “there exist no security threats in Afghanistan, and none is compelled to leave the country on account of security considerations.” The statement appeared aimed at reassuring prospective returnees that they would be safe.

Afghan Taliban also expressed readiness to engage with all countries “within the ambit of bilateral consular relations and an organized mechanism” to safeguard the rights of Afghan citizens.

The stranded individuals are believed to be among thousands of Afghans who were evacuated or fled following the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021 and had been promised resettlement in the United States.

Many have been waiting in third countries, including Qatar, for their visa applications to be processed.

The development comes as the US continues to review its relocation commitments for Afghan allies amid shifting immigration policies under the Trump administration.