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Afghan refugees in UAE protest for third day, call for US resettlement
Afghan refugees held in the United Arab Emirates for months since fleeing Afghanistan last year protested for a third day on Friday, calling for resettlement in the United States.
The demonstrations by hundreds of Afghans began on Wednesday at the center where they are being housed as months of frustrations with what refugees say is a lack of communication over the resettlement process boiled over.
A protester told Reuters by phone more refugees had joined the demonstration on Friday, a day after a U.S. official visited the center and told them it could take years for applications to be processed.
The official added that many refugees, however, were unlikely to ever be resettled in the United States, according to the protester.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson confirmed several Afghans had taken part in peaceful demonstrations and that U.S. government officials had met with Afghans this week to discuss their concerns with the resettlement process.
The spokesperson said U.S. screening and vetting of vulnerable Afghans is continuing and that “safe and orderly” travel to the United States will be facilitated for those who qualify.
Among the Afghans, advocates say, are those who had worked with the U.S. government and military. There are also those who had fought in the Afghan forces before the U.S.-led withdrawal last August when the Western-backed government collapsed and the hardline Islamist movement took over the country.
Ahmad Mohibi, an advocate who has helped Afghans evacuate and who is in contact with several refugees in the UAE, said the Afghans planned to continue peaceful protests.
The refugees, he said, were appreciative of the care the UAE has provided them but were exasperated by the uncertainty over how much longer they would have to remain in what they say are prison-like conditions at the Abu Dhabi center.
The Emirati government has not commented on the protests.
The UAE agreed with Washington and other Western countries last year to temporarily house Afghan nationals evacuated from Afghanistan as they made their way to a third country.
It is unclear how many Afghans refugees are being housed in the UAE, though demonstrators and advocates estimate there are 12,000 temporarily living at two locations in Abu Dhabi.
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IEA urges World Bank to resume work on 7,000 incomplete projects
The Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) officials say that 7,000 incomplete projects of the World Bank are at risk of destruction in Afghanistan and that they call on the World Bank to resume the work of these projects.
According to them, discussions have been held with the World Bank about these projects, but there has been no result yet.
“7,000 incomplete projects are being destroyed, and if the work is not started, these projects will be destroyed. We ask the World Bank to resume the work of these projects as soon as possible,” said Noorul Hadi Adel, the spokesperson of MRRD.
Meanwhile, members of the private sector also ask international institutions to resume their work in Afghanistan.
According to the officials of this sector, with the start of these projects, job opportunities will be provided for thousands of people in the country.
“These projects create employment for our people and the country will grow a lot,” said Mirwais Hajizadeh, a member of the private sector.
However, economic experts stated if the work of these projects does not start soon, they will be destroyed and the investments made in them will be wasted.
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UN envoy meets Indian foreign minister to discuss Afghanistan
Roza Otunbayeva, the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, met with the Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in New Delhi and discussed issues related to Afghanistan, it was announced on Thursday.
During the meeting, Otunbayeva thanked India for “its critical humanitarian support and longstanding friendship for the Afghan people” and discussed the importance of regional and international cooperation to address prevailing challenges in Afghanistan, UNAMA said on X.
Jaishankar also said on X that the sides exchanged views on the current situation in Afghanistan.
“Underlined that India has provided wheat, medicines, pesticides and school supplies. Appreciate the role of UN agencies as partners in these endeavors,” he said.
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Traffic accident leaves one dead, four injured in Herat
Local officials in Herat say one person was killed and four others injured due to a traffic accident in Karukh district of the province.
The accident took place on Thursday night at 8:pm.
The injured individuals have been taken to Herat’s regional hospital by the personnel of Karukh district police headquarters, local officials said.
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