Afghan refugees are in the news as the US considers resettling 1,100 stranded Afghans in Congo amid visa delays, while others face deportation, expulsion, or danger.
A 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck northern Afghanistan, killing 12 and injuring four. A refugee family near Kabul was among the hardest hit, with a three-year-old survivor hospitalized. The quake caused destruction across multiple provinces, with reports of collapsed homes and casualties among recent returnees from Iran and Pakistan.
The US has been discussing relocating 1,100 Afghan refugees, including military allies and families of US service members, from a Qatar base to third countries, with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as a possible option. The Trump administration halted Afghan visa processing in 2025, leaving refugees stranded and facing forced choices between returning to Taliban rule or resettlement in unstable countries.
Afghan evacuees at Camp As-Sayliyah in Qatar have reportedly been told they may be relocated to Congo or return to Afghanistan, as Washington weighs options for resettlement after a long vetting process. Officials say no deal has been finalized, while groups in Doha describe worsening conditions and uncertainty.