The U.S. government has notified Congress of its plan to shut down Camp As Sayliyah in Qatar by the end of September, a facility that temporarily houses Afghan evacuees before their transfer to the United States, according to the Washington Times.

Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Relations Committee, called the move “short-sighted” and warned that closing the camp could severely undermine U.S. efforts to relocate Afghans who assisted American forces during the two-decade conflict. Meeks described the decision as a “betrayal of Afghan allies and U.S. commitments.”

Camp As Sayliyah has functioned as a temporary processing center, where evacuees undergo security screenings before entering the U.S. According to the Afghan Evacuee Oversight Committee, roughly 800 individuals remain at the camp, including prosecutors, lawyers, female special operations personnel, and family members of U.S. military staff.

Concerns over security risks linked to the Afghan evacuation process persist. Government inspectors have highlighted challenges during the 2021 evacuations, noting that thousands of evacuees arrived in the U.S. without full identification, fueling a politically charged debate.

During a Senate hearing on Wednesday, officials revealed the difficulties of vetting Afghan evacuees. Approximately 36,000 evacuees lacked formal identification, and more than 11,000 could not provide an accurate date of birth. The State Department’s inspector general said an eight-month review failed to produce a definitive count of evacuees accepted under the operation. Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general reported that at least 77,000 Afghans entered the U.S. under the Priority Rescue Operations (PROL) program.

Democratic lawmakers expressed concern that shutting the camp could endanger Afghan allies. Senator Alex Padilla of California said, “Punishing all Afghan allies today for the actions of a few is completely unacceptable and shameful.” Democrats emphasized that security concerns should not result in abandoning those who supported the U.S., potentially exposing them to danger if returned to Afghanistan.

The Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation has issued a warning of severe weather conditions across 18 provinces, including heavy rain, snowfall, thunderstorms, and flash floods.

In a statement shared on its X page, the ministry said that adverse weather conditions are expected Friday in the provinces of Badakhshan, Takhar, Kunduz, Baghlan, Samangan, Parwan, Balkh, Faryab, Sar-I-Pol, Jawzjan, Badghis, Herat, Farah, Ghor, Helmand, Daikundi, Uruzgan, and Bamiyan.

Rainfall is expected to range between 10 and 30 millimeters, while snowfall may reach 10 to 35 millimeters in different areas.

The ministry also warned of strong winds in central provinces, particularly around the Salang passes, with speeds expected between 50 and 90 kilometers per hour.

Authorities urged citizens to exercise caution while traveling and to take necessary safety measures to avoid accidents caused by flash floods, landslides, and snowstorms.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson of the Islamic Emirate, has rejected a BBC report that alleged the existence of divisions among officials of the Islamic Emirate, stating that such claims are not true.

Mujahid said in a post that there are no disagreements whatsoever within the ranks of the Islamic Emirate.

He added that all affairs within the system of the Islamic Emirate are conducted in accordance with Islamic Sharia, and that there is no room for any kind of disagreement.

According to him, statements by officials about the importance of unity and solidarity, or minor issues in which views may differ, never mean the existence of disagreement.

He emphasized that there is strong unity, obedience, and cohesion within the Islamic Emirate, and that there is no concern about any division.