US extends Qatar camp stay for more than 1,000 Afghans

The US administration has extended the operation of a camp in Qatar housing more than 1,000 Afghans who supported US forces during the war in Afghanistan, as well as relatives of American service members.

The United States has agreed to keep Camp As Sayliyah open for another nine months after it had been scheduled to close at the end of the US fiscal year, according to The Associated Press.

A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the extension.

The decision affects 1,039 Afghans, many of whom worked as interpreters or in other roles supporting US forces between 2001 and 2021. Many have remained in Qatar for more than a year while Washington considers options for their resettlement.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Congress in June that Washington was discussing possible arrangements for resettling the Afghans in third countries. AP has previously reported that the Democratic Republic of Congo was among the countries considered by the administration.

The US State Department said it continues to seek a solution that would ensure the safety of those remaining at the camp while addressing US security concerns.

The department has also described the camp as part of a legacy of the Biden administration’s Afghan resettlement effort, a characterization disputed by some former US officials and refugee advocates.

According to figures cited by AfghanEvac, more than 70 percent of the camp’s residents are women and children. The organization has been advocating for the resettlement of Afghans who have remained in limbo following the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.

Shawn VanDiver, a US Navy veteran and head of AfghanEvac, welcomed the nine-month extension but said a permanent solution was still needed.

Despite the extension, the residents have not been given a clear pathway to the United States. AfghanEvac says only five Afghans from the camp have been admitted to the US since October 2025.

Advocates have warned that without alternative resettlement arrangements, some residents could eventually face the possibility of returning to Afghanistan.

The State Department said it would use the nine-month extension to continue exploring options for the voluntary resettlement of all Camp As Sayliyah residents.