Qatar Urges US to Resolve Status of Afghan Migrants at Doha Camp by September 2026

Qatar has formally requested that the United States determine the future of approximately 1,100 Afghan migrants currently housed at the Al-Siliya transit camp near Doha by September 2026. The facility was established as a temporary processing center following the August 2021 US military withdrawal and the subsequent takeover by the Taliban. Under a prior diplomatic agreement, Qatar’s hosting arrangement for the evacuees was intended to be strictly temporary.

The request follows reports that the Trump administration has explored relocating the group to the Republic of Congo. Amu TV reported that Washington was actively negotiating the transfer, while Khaama Press described the proposal as under exploration and Hasht-e Subh stated it had been announced. The potential third-country relocation has drawn sharp criticism from several US lawmakers. Senator Jean Shaheen, alongside colleagues including Tammy Duckworth, Tim Kaine, Ed Markey, and Frank Lautenberg, have publicly opposed the plan, warning that moving the migrants outside the United States could expose them to retaliation. They have urged the administration to facilitate their resettlement on American soil instead.

Qatar has pressed Washington for a swift resolution, emphasizing that the deadline for finalizing the migrants’ status falls in late September 2026. Amu TV specified September 29 as the exact cutoff, whereas other reports cited a broader late-September timeframe. The US government has not yet issued a formal response to Qatar’s request or confirmed the final destination for the group.