US extends Qatar camp for 1,100 Afghan refugees nine months

October 1, 2026 at 03:06 PM2 min

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The United States has extended the As-Sayliyah camp in Qatar for nine months, allowing some 1,100 Afghan refugees to remain past the September 30 closure deadline. Camp authorities informed residents of the extension on October 1, though the State Department has not publicly confirmed the timeline. The extension comes as 22 US lawmakers urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to resolve the refugees' status.

Key Facts

The As-Sayliyah camp in Qatar houses some 1,100 Afghans stranded since a November 2025 executive order halted Afghanistan-related immigration.
Camp authorities told residents on October 1 that the camp would remain open for nine months, until around June 2027.
A bipartisan group of 22 US representatives sent an open letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on September 29 urging action on the refugees' cases.
The letter states that about 3,000 immediate family members of US service members and veterans remain stranded overseas, including some 150 at As-Sayliyah.
Two Afghan nationals were admitted to the United States on September 22 under an exception to current US immigration policy.

Camp Extension

The As-Sayliyah camp, a former US Army base in Qatar, was due to close on September 30. On October 1, camp authorities informed residents that the camp would remain open for nine months, until around June 2027. A State Department spokesman said the department continues to work toward a positive resolution for the remaining people, without confirming the nine-month timeline. The spokesman added that work is continuing on voluntary resettlement arrangements for the camp inmates, many of whom worked for American forces during the US-led military presence in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2021.

Refugee Conditions

Residents describe psychological strain and exhaustion from prolonged uncertainty, with one inmate telling RFE/RL that waiting is very hard and their fate remains unknown. Physical conditions at the camp are not said to be an issue, but many residents have expressed frustration and emotional strain over lives put on hold indefinitely. Many residents have also been alarmed by talk of relocating them to third countries such as Rwanda or the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Congressional Pressure

A bipartisan group of 22 representatives from both chambers of Congress sent an open letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on September 29. The letter notes that two Afghan nationals were admitted to the United States on September 22 under an exception to current US immigration policy. It states that some 3,000 immediate family members of US service members and veterans remain stranded overseas, including some 150 at As-Sayliyah alongside more than 1,000 Afghan allies and family members vetted by the US government.