‘Hope in my heart’: displaced Afghans in limbo as White House freezes refugee programs

in San Antonio

She wants to care for other women and girls, so they don’t have to be afraid to visit the doctor – so at least in one crucial aspect of their lives they won’t have to endure the unwanted advances, dismissive comments and blatant disrespect that she’s experienced from many of the men who have always surrounded her, first in her native Afghanistan and now in legal limbo in Pakistan.

“I hope a lot that I will be a doctor in the future. I don’t know it will happen, but I hope,” she said. “It means that a woman is powerful, that if she wants to do something, she can.”

Yet for the moment, she has no way to attend medical school anywhere. She can barely step outside the apartment in Islamabad where she and her two sisters, her teenage brother, and their mother spend each day terrified that police will arrest and deport them back to face Taliban rule.

Simply as a woman in the Taliban’s Afghanistan her lifestyle would be severely restricted, but as Christians the whole family would literally be in mortal danger.

Her family has documents from the United Nations Refugee Agency proving that they’re certified asylum seekers, and they were on the verge of getting the green light to come to the US.

But to the Trump administration right now, these plans don’t matter – despite volunteer groups in Texas preparing for months to welcome them.

To the police in Pakistan, where they are in exile, those UN documents don’t matter either. What matters is that the family is Afghan and is no longer wanted there.

“Everywhere is policed. Every day, police come to our house. It’s too difficult for us,” said the woman in an interview over Zoom. The Guardian is withholding the family’s identity while they remain at risk.

“In these days, we awake with a fear,” she said of her family. They have already been lying low in Pakistan for three years after fleeing Afghanistan.

A few months ago, it seemed as though the family was finally on the cusp of relief, soon to fly to east Texas.

“They were nearing the finish line. We didn’t have any certainty, they hadn’t actually been approved and travel wasn’t being scheduled yet. But we were right there – everything, all the screening, was done,” said Justin Reese, one member of a group of Texas volunteers who were getting ready to welcome the family.

Then, on the first day of Donald Trump’s second term as president, one of his many immigration-related executive orders indefinitely suspended the US Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) – and with it, the family’s chance at reaching imminent safety.

“By every metric, they have played by the rules and they are being treated like this,” said Reese. “It’s very damaging to them individually, and it’s damaging, I think, to the future security of the US, for us to be seen as this mercurial, as this incoherent.”

A federal district judge temporarily blocked Trump’s effective ban on refugees coming to the US, offering those on the brink of resettlement a flicker of hope, but a circuit panel has now rolled back that decision, saying only people already approved must be allowed to come. And whether an administration ideologically opposed to refugee resettlement will resume the program at scale – or in any meaningful way – remains an open question, particularly after the state department has tried to terminate essential funding agreements with all of the US’s resettlement agencies for the entire fiscal year. That was even before the prospect of new Trump travel restrictions on Afghans entering the US, and before immigration officials suddenly paused green card processing for refugees already here.

“I don’t know how you get to a place of suspending refugee resettlement as policy without a series of ideological turns that I don’t understand how to unwind,” Reese said.

Before the ascent of Trumpism, USRAP enjoyed widespread bipartisan support for myriad reasons: its protection of American allies and related benefits to national security; its solidarity with “frontline states” such as Turkey and Colombia that are taking in so many of the world’s displaced people; its signal to other nations that the US cares about human rights.

In fact, even before the refugee resettlement program was written into US law, organizations cropped up across the nation in response to the atrocities of the second world war – and the US’s role in rejecting refugees early on who then became victims of the Holocaust. These agencies welcomed displaced people from around the world, many fleeing communism from the Baltic states, Hungary or Vietnam.

After Congress established a more universal, standardized refugee framework, general support for resettlement continued, even following the 11 September 2001 attacks that reshaped much of the US immigration system. Sometimes, scandals would arise within the program, but administrations would address them and move on.

Then, in 2015, Trump ran for president and soon started trumpeting a narrative that refugees posed a security threat to American communities, despite them being some of the most thoroughly vetted newcomers in the country.

“There [was] already a kind of deteriorating bipartisan support,” Yael Schacher, director for the Americas and Europe at Refugees International, the humanitarian organization, recalled of that moment.

By fiscal year 2020, the first Trump administration had gutted the US’s refugee resettlement infrastructure and set the annual ceiling on refugee admissions at 18,000 – the lowest cap on record.

When Joe Biden took office, his administration eventually rebuilt resettlement capacity in the US, with more than 100,000 people welcomed in his last full fiscal year in office.

To do so, Biden made innovations, such as an initiative called the Welcome Corps, which invited Americans and green card holders to form private groups and financially sponsor refugees for resettlement in the US.

“I think the idea of the Welcome Corps was that it was politically foolproof,” said Schacher, and that “because it relied on private funds and private individuals to step up … that these folks would push back against the Trump administration and make sure that folks still come. And they would step in if government funding was withdrawn. I think it remains to be seen if that’s actually going to work politically.”

Reese and his family knew that they wanted to participate in the Welcome Corps. A software developer by trade, he had spent the better part of a decade learning about the politics and policy of offering refuge.

Just before the coronavirus pandemic gripped the US, he traveled to Greece to serve in a refugee camp with 20,000 residents representing 40 different nationalities. The corner of camp where he volunteered hosted mostly Afghans, and he returned home to east Texas with new friendships and phone numbers from within that community.

So when Kabul fell to the Taliban and the US withdrew troops from Afghanistan in 2021, his phone started buzzing with alerts from worried Afghans whose loved ones were still stranded in danger. He sprang into action, attempting to cut through red tape to try to get desperate families in Afghanistan on US evacuation flights. It was frantic and exhausting.

“Everything felt like an inch away and then a mile away at the same time, because you just knew if you just were smart enough or well-resourced enough, then you could make this happen,” he remembered.

Simultaneously, the Afghan family of five he would eventually try to resettle through the Welcome Corps was fleeing Afghanistan for Pakistan. The Taliban’s return to power was the final straw that dashed any hope they had for stability in their homeland, though it was hardly their first brush with persecution.

As members of the Hazara ethnic community, their people had long been victims of massacres and genocides, including by the Taliban at the turn of the 21st century. Having converted from Shia Islam to Christianity, the family had been targeted by their neighbors, beaten and forced to move many times. And as a household in which the patriarch died about a decade ago, the women had been subject to constant unwanted attention and harassment from unscrupulous men.

“We miss, a lot, our country,” one of the daughters said. “We miss our memories that we had. But unfortunately we can’t go back because I have lots of bad memories from Taliban … situations, and it makes me sad.” As she described the family’s experience, she wept.

Her family met Reese in person when they were all in Islamabad in late 2023. Until then, they had been names on a list for Reese, names he was still trying to help find refuge. After getting to know the family face to face, he wanted to bring them to his own community, where he thought their life experiences would resonate with people.

He found willing volunteers back in east Texas. With 10 members, Reese’s Welcome Corps group is far larger than required and includes a veteran who served in Afghanistan, a missionary’s kid who grew up in Afghanistan and Pakistan, a couple whose children work with Afghans abroad, and others uniquely equipped to help.

Offers of housing and other support flowed in. And Reese’s commitment to sponsor the Afghan family made a huge difference in their lives, even as they remained in a precarious situation abroad. They suddenly felt as though they were waiting in Pakistan for a reason, and they stopped worrying as much about their future while imagining safety together in the US.

“It made my family so happy,” one of the daughters said. In Texas, she hoped, “we can continue our studies and we can continue our lives without any worries”.

Now Reese’s garage is full of donated household items from an online wishlist to outfit what would have been the family’s new home in Tyler, Texas. It’s unclear when or if the family will ever arrive – news Reese had to deliver personally.

“I have a hard time talking about how it made us feel without being angry because I do feel that it’s not just unnecessary and harmful, but strategically incompetent,” he said. “I don’t believe that anybody involved in turning [USRAP] off had to deliver phone calls like the ones that we had to over the last few weeks.”

Despite the setback and the increasingly serious threats of deportation the family faces in Islamabad, one of the daughters expressed gratitude for “brother Justin”, as she calls Reese, and appreciates at least hearing an update on their case.

Trump’s actions have made her “sad, but I hope”, she said, adding: “I have hope in my heart that this program will open again.”

‘Hope in my heart’: displaced Afghans in limbo as White House freezes refugee programs
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Daughter of detained British Couple in Afghanistan demands parents’ release

The daughter of a detained British couple in Afghanistan has called for their immediate release.

The family of a British couple detained by the Taliban has called on the UK Foreign Office to condemn their arrest and demand their immediate release. The couple, Peter Reynolds (79) and his wife, Barbie (75), were arrested in February while returning home to Bamyan, Afghanistan. Their daughter, Sarah Entwistle, urged British officials to act swiftly to secure their freedom.

Sarah Entwistle, the daughter of the detained couple, appealed to British Foreign Secretary David Lammy to issue a public statement condemning the Taliban’s actions. She pointed out that if the U.S. government could secure the release of an American citizen, the British government should take similar action for her parents, who have been held without charges.

In response, a spokesperson for the UK Foreign Office stated that they were providing support to the family of the detained British nationals. However, the government has not publicly outlined any specific measures or actions being taken to secure the couple’s release, maintaining a cautious stance in the matter.

Reports suggest that the couple’s arrest may be linked to internal power struggles within the Taliban regime. The Telegraph revealed that the couple was detained under orders from a commander within the Haqqani network, a powerful faction of the Taliban. The detention was reportedly part of an effort to gain leverage in political negotiations with international governments.

The Haqqani network has long used hostage-taking as a tool to exert pressure on foreign governments. A senior Taliban official confirmed that the network was involved in the detention of Peter and Barbie Reynolds, aiming to extract political concessions from their governments. This reflects the continued use of foreign hostages as bargaining chips in Taliban diplomacy.

While the Reynolds couple remains detained, American citizen Faye Hall, who was arrested alongside them, was released last week. Her release came after the U.S. removed a $10 million reward for the capture of Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban’s interior minister. This move highlighted the U.S.’s more direct approach to hostage diplomacy compared to the UK’s response.

The British government’s response to the Reynolds case has been more cautious compared to the U.S. approach. While the U.S. has been vocal in its efforts to secure the release of its citizens, including through diplomatic measures like removing rewards, the UK has been more reserved, leaving many questions about its strategy for securing the couple’s freedom.

The ongoing detentions highlight the risks faced by foreign nationals in Afghanistan under Taliban rule. The case raises questions about how Western governments should navigate hostage situations with the Taliban. The handling of this case will likely set a precedent for future diplomatic strategies, emphasizing the need for a balance between negotiation and holding the Taliban accountable for their actions.

Daughter of detained British Couple in Afghanistan demands parents’ release
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Increase in Maternal and Infant deaths in Afghanistan following US Aid cut

U.S. aid cuts have led to a significant rise in maternal and infant deaths in Afghanistan, worsening healthcare access.

The National Public Radio (NPR) has reported a concerning rise in maternal and infant deaths in Afghanistan following the halt of U.S. International Development Agency (USAID) assistance.

According to the report, the withdrawal of these vital funds and the closure of local health centers have significantly reduced access to timely medical services for women.

NPR spoke with midwives who witnessed the tragic deaths of mothers during childbirth due to delayed access to medical facilities. They linked the increased mortality to the disruption of healthcare services, caused by the abrupt termination of U.S. aid to Afghanistan’s already fragile healthcare system.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that over 200 health centers in Afghanistan were shut down by the end of March due to the cessation of U.S. funding. They also warned that another 200 centers could be closed by June unless urgent action is taken to restore funding and services.

Midwives working in hospitals spoke about the surge in pregnant women seeking help at central hospitals, often arriving too late due to the closure of health clinics in remote areas. In one case, a midwife shared a tragic story where a woman and her child died after being unable to reach healthcare services due to snowstorms, with the clinic in the village already closed due to U.S. aid cuts.
Moreover, health workers highlighted how the closure of essential services in rural areas has led to preventable deaths. One midwife shared how villagers were heartbroken over the shutdown of a local clinic, which had been their only source of medical assistance. The lack of funding meant that these clinics could not remain open, resulting in the loss of life.

In addition to the U.S. aid cut, several other international donors, including the U.K., France, Belgium, and Germany, have significantly reduced their aid to Afghanistan. This has placed even greater pressure on Afghanistan’s already struggling healthcare system, especially for expectant mothers who are now facing even more severe challenges.

The report highlighted that while Afghan women, particularly pregnant mothers, already faced significant hurdles due to traditional beliefs and an inefficient healthcare system, the aid cuts have compounded their suffering. The reduction in international aid has left Afghan women in a dire situation, especially as USAID had accounted for nearly 40% of all international financial aid to the country.

The situation in Afghanistan remains dire, with maternal and infant deaths continuing to rise due to the disruption of essential healthcare services. The closure of health centers and reduction in international aid are exacerbating the challenges faced by vulnerable populations, especially women and children.

Increase in Maternal and Infant deaths in Afghanistan following US Aid cut
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Uncertainty Torments Afghan Refugees Facing Deportation From Pakistan

Monday marks the deadline for Afghans sheltering in Pakistan to leave the country, with the prospect of a dangerous future in Taliban-led Afghanistan ahead.

In a refugee settlement on the outskirts of Karachi, Pakistan, Afghan families gathered on Sunday to observe the festival of Eid al-Fitr — not in joyous celebration, but in quiet apprehension. On Monday, thousands who have called Pakistan home for generations face a deportation deadline and an uncertain, possibly dangerous future.

Since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, millions of Afghans have sought refuge in neighboring Pakistan, fleeing waves of violence and instability. Over the decades, many have returned home, but conflict and political upheaval continue to send hundreds of thousands back.

The latest wave of displacement followed the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, after the collapse of Ashraf Ghani’s U.S.-backed government. They included refugees who were promised resettlement in the United States.

Many now face mandatory repatriation, with a March 31 deadline — a decision that was announced only last month, sparking widespread fear.

“As a fellow Muslim nation and a neighbor, Pakistan should show compassion and grant refugees more time to prepare,” said Haji Abdullah Bukhari, a community leader in Karachi. “Uprooting their lives in just a few days is impossible. Many have spent decades here, and now they are being forced to return to a country they barely know.”

Pakistan’s ongoing deportation of Afghan refugees stems from growing frustration with the Taliban administration, which it accuses of sheltering Pakistani militants, particularly Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan or T.T.P., responsible for deadly attacks inside Pakistan. The Taliban deny these allegations, but tensions continue to rise.

In 2023, Pakistan expelled hundreds of thousands of Afghans — both documented and undocumented. However, most refugees awaiting resettlement in Western countries were largely spared thanks to diplomatic interventions.

Their fate, however, became increasingly uncertain in January when President Trump issued an executive order suspending all refugee admissions to the United States. This decision left thousands of Afghans stranded in Pakistan.

In February, Pakistan announced its plans to repatriate Afghans awaiting resettlement by March 31, along with 800,000 Pakistan-issued Afghan Citizenship Card holders and an unknown number of undocumented Afghan migrants.

The decision has caused widespread unease, particularly among those most vulnerable to Taliban persecution, including former Afghan government and security officials, women’s rights activists and journalists.

“Many have told us they fear prison, torture, or even execution if Pakistan forcibly sends them back to Afghanistan,” said Moniza Kakar, a lawyer with the Joint Action Committee for Refugees, a Pakistani civil society network that advocates for international intervention and support to safeguard lives.

Avaaz, a global campaign that is currently working to support a group of 60 Afghan women’s rights activists stuck in Pakistan, has also voiced deep concern over the deportation drive.

Among those affected is Samia Hamza, a women’s rights activist and former law and international relations student under the U.S.-funded Denton Program. After the Taliban seized power, she protested against the ban on girls’ education, further endangering herself.

As conditions worsened in late 2021, she fled to Pakistan. However, she has since faced severe discrimination and economic hardship while awaiting U.S. resettlement through the special immigration visas for Afghans program.

Like many Afghans, she was devastated by the Trump administration’s decision to halt new immigrants. “We have heard nothing about our case since then,” said Hamza, who lives with her husband and four children in Islamabad. “With the threat of deportation, returning to Afghanistan means facing grave danger.”

The Pakistani government has ruled out extending the deportation deadline despite appeals from international organizations and the Taliban administration. Justifying its crackdown on Afghans, the government has drawn parallels to ongoing deportation efforts in the United States and various European countries.

Meanwhile, Philippa Candler, the Pakistan representative at the United Nations refugee agency, urged Pakistan and Afghanistan to ensure voluntary, safe returns. “Forced returns help no one and aren’t sustainable — many deported in 2023 have already returned.”

Many Afghans remember terrifying scenes of the 2023 expulsions, dreading the moment when police contingents might arrive — knocking on doors, rounding up families into trucks and transferring them to detention centers before forcing them into Afghanistan.

“We are all praying for a miracle that Pakistan will stop the deportations to a country my children have never seen,” said Naik Bakht, an Afghan refugee who arrived in Karachi in 1996. A father of three, all born in Pakistan, he said he fears for their future.

“I am terrified. What will we do in Afghanistan? Where will we go? How will we survive?”

Uncertainty Torments Afghan Refugees Facing Deportation From Pakistan
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Begum Academy Launches Offline Learning App to Empower Afghan Girls

As the new academic year begins in Afghanistan, it also marks the third consecutive year that girls above the age of 12 have been denied access to formal education. In response to these ongoing restrictions, Begum Academy, a digital education initiative founded by Afghan entrepreneur Hamida Aman in November 2023, continues to expand its services to support learning opportunities for girls.

Begum Academy was launched to provide free educational content aligned with Afghanistan’s official curriculum for grades 7 through 12. The platform currently hosts more than 8,000 instructional videos in both Dari and Pashto. Thousands of users have joined the platform since its launch, accessing lessons in subjects ranging from mathematics to literature.

To address connectivity issues that limit access to online learning in many parts of the country, the Academy has developed a mobile application that allows students to access content without the need for an internet connection. Supported by the Malala Fund, the app is now available on the App Store and Google Play.

The application also includes interactive features such as student discussion forums, direct messaging with instructors, customizable avatars, and a weekly activity leaderboard. According to project staff, these elements are designed to encourage engagement and create a more connected learning environment.

Elissa Rocheteau, Educational Project Manager for Begum Academy, stated that incorporating interactive elements into the app was intended to improve user experience and help students feel part of a broader learning community.

To enhance support, Begum Academy has also increased its academic team. As of this school year, 20 subject teachers—10 in Dari and 10 in Pashto—are available to assist students with questions and guidance.

In addition to academic courses, the Academy is preparing to introduce vocational training programs within the app. These programs aim to provide learners with practical skills that may contribute to employment opportunities and personal development.

Aman noted that the Academy is also exploring offline technology solutions through a partnership with a French startup. The collaboration is focused on developing portable devices that will allow students in remote or underserved areas to access the Academy’s educational content without requiring an internet connection.

While access to education for girls in Afghanistan remains limited due to current policies, initiatives like Begum Academy are working to provide alternative pathways to learning for those affected.

The Begum Academy app can be downloaded here:

App Store: https://apps.apple.com/fr/app/begum-academy/id6741149474
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.corvit_mobile_bow

Begum Academy Launches Offline Learning App to Empower Afghan Girls
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US State Department: Processing of Afghan SIV Applications continues

The U.S. State Department is continuing to process Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applications for Afghan applicants seeking relocation.

The U.S. State Department confirmed on Monday that it is continuing to process Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applications for Afghanistan’s nationals. The department stated that these applications are currently in various stages, including consular interviews, security reviews, and visa issuance decisions.

The U.S. government clarified that the citizens of Afghanistan with SIVs will not receive financial support from the U.S. upon arrival. They are expected to travel to the U.S. using commercial airline services and must have sufficient financial resources to support themselves after their arrival.

In contrast to the Biden administration’s stance, the Trump administration had previously cut off funding to resettlement organizations for immigrants. As a result, Afghanistan’s migrants will not receive federal assistance upon arrival, a policy that has left many individuals concerned about their future in the U.S.

The announcement from the State Department has done little to assuage the concerns of migrants, many of whom fear their relocation may be halted due to the Trump administration’s immigration policies. These individuals, who have assisted the U.S. military and government in Afghanistan, were expecting help with their resettlement.

The AfghanEvac organization, which supports former U.S. allies, previously warned that the suspension of funding for resettlement programs, coupled with the issuance of a travel ban for citizens from certain Muslim-majority countries, has created uncertainty about the future of the Afghanistan allies relocation process.

The U.S. State Department acknowledged the legal challenges surrounding the suspension of the refugee resettlement programs for vulnerable populations from countries like Afghanistan. They refrained from commenting further on the status of other visa programs for Afghan nationals.

In response to the suspension of the Afghan relocation program, several influential U.S. Congress members wrote to President Trump urging him to reconsider his decision. They expressed concerns that this policy would endanger the lives of 200,000 Afghan allies who worked alongside U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

The suspension of the Afghan relocation program has prompted fears for the safety of thousands of individuals, including family members of U.S. military personnel and former interpreters. Many of these individuals were in the process of being resettled in the U.S. after the fall of the Afghanistan government.

The legal and political uncertainty surrounding Afghan migrant resettlement continues to raise serious questions about the future of these individuals and the U.S. government’s role in assisting them.

US State Department: Processing of Afghan SIV Applications continues
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Pakistan Resumes Deportation of Afghan Refugees After Deadline Ends

This development comes despite a report by the Associated Press yesterday, which mentioned a ten-day suspension of the deportation process.

Pakistani media have reported the start of the deportation process of Afghan refugees from Pakistan.

This development comes despite a report by the Associated Press yesterday, which mentioned a ten-day suspension of the deportation process.

According to a report by The Express Tribune, “Pakistan currently hosts 2.1 million documented Afghan refugees, with many others living in the country without legal documentation. Approximately 1.3 million of these refugees have received Proof of Registration cards, with more than half of them residing in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).”

At the same time, several Afghan refugees who hold “ACC” (Afghan Citizen Card) documents have stated they are not yet ready to return to Afghanistan.

Mir Miyakhel, an Afghan refugee in Pakistan, said: “I hope the government of Pakistan reconsiders its decision and halts forced repatriation so that Afghans can secure adequate shelter in their homeland.”

Malak Awwal Shinwari, another Afghan refugee in Pakistan, said: “Afghan refugees didn’t feel the joy of Eid because they cannot organize their affairs in a single month or within twenty days. Afghan asylum seekers here are deeply engaged in their businesses and have spent many years in this country.”

Meanwhile, a number of refugee rights activists have labeled the forced deportations as violations of international laws and conventions.

Mohammad Khan Mohammadzai, a refugee rights activist, stated: “The current pressure on refugees indicates that both governments must act in accordance with the principles of neighborhood and Islamic values. The current measures against refugees contradict international laws.”

Pakistani media have also reported that the police chief of Rawalpindi has ordered the arrest and deportation of undocumented Afghan refugees.

Pakistan Resumes Deportation of Afghan Refugees After Deadline Ends
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Trump Administration: No Rest Until Detained Americans Brought Home

Faye Hall was the third American citizen released by the Islamic Emirate through mediation by Qatar.

Following the release of Faye Hall, an American citizen previously detained in Afghanistan, the Trump administration reaffirmed its commitment to securing the return of all American citizens detained in other countries.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the United States government will persist in its efforts until all Americans detained in Afghanistan or held hostage elsewhere are freed.

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said: “President Trump’s…commitment to the American people is clear – we will not rest until all Americans detained in Afghanistan, and held hostage around the world, are brought home.”

Faye Hall was the third American citizen released by the Islamic Emirate through mediation by Qatar.

Some political analysts view the release of American citizens by the interim Afghan government as a positive step toward improving relations between Kabul and Washington.

Idris Mohammadi Zazai, a political analyst, stated: “In politics, every concession should be met with another. Just as the bounty on Sirajuddin Haqqani and two other members of the Islamic Emirate was lifted following the release of George Glezmann.”

Najib Rahman Shamal, another political analyst, said: “The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan also has demands, such as the lifting of economic sanctions and removal of names from blacklists. We hope the United States, in turn, will take steps to build trust and improve relations with other nations by releasing their citizens currently in custody.”

While the Islamic Emirate has not commented on the matter so far, it had previously released two American prisoners, Ryan Corbett and George Glezmann, as a goodwill gesture towards the United States.

Trump Administration: No Rest Until Detained Americans Brought Home
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Uncertainty Torments Afghan Refugees Facing Deportation from Pakistan

Monday marks the deadline for Afghans sheltering in Pakistan to leave the country, with the prospect of a dangerous future in Taliban-led Afghanistan ahead.

In a refugee settlement on the outskirts of Karachi, Pakistan, Afghan families gathered on Sunday to observe the festival of Eid al-Fitr — not in joyous celebration, but in quiet apprehension. On Monday, thousands who have called Pakistan home for generations face a deportation deadline and an uncertain, possibly dangerous future.

Since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, millions of Afghans have sought refuge in neighboring Pakistan, fleeing waves of violence and instability. Over the decades, many have returned home, but conflict and political upheaval continue to send hundreds of thousands back.

The latest wave of displacement followed the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, after the collapse of Ashraf Ghani’s U.S.-backed government. They included refugees who were promised resettlement in the United States.

Many now face mandatory repatriation, with a March 31 deadline — a decision that was announced only last month, sparking widespread fear.

“As a fellow Muslim nation and a neighbor, Pakistan should show compassion and grant refugees more time to prepare,” said Haji Abdullah Bukhari, a community leader in Karachi. “Uprooting their lives in just a few days is impossible. Many have spent decades here, and now they are being forced to return to a country they barely know.”

Pakistan’s ongoing deportation of Afghan refugees stems from growing frustration with the Taliban administration, which it accuses of sheltering Pakistani militants, particularly Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan or T.T.P., responsible for deadly attacks inside Pakistan. The Taliban deny these allegations, but tensions continue to rise.

In 2023, Pakistan expelled hundreds of thousands of Afghans — both documented and undocumented. However, most refugees awaiting resettlement in Western countries were largely spared thanks to diplomatic interventions.

Their fate, however, became increasingly uncertain in January when President Trump issued an executive order suspending all refugee admissions to the United States. This decision left thousands of Afghans stranded in Pakistan.

In February, Pakistan announced its plans to repatriate Afghans awaiting resettlement by March 31, along with 800,000 Pakistan-issued Afghan Citizenship Card holders and an unknown number of undocumented Afghan migrants.

“Many have told us they fear prison, torture, or even execution if Pakistan forcibly sends them back to Afghanistan,” said Moniza Kakar, a lawyer with the Joint Action Committee for Refugees, a Pakistani civil society network that advocates for international intervention and support to safeguard lives.

Avaaz, a global campaign that is currently working to support a group of 60 Afghan women’s rights activists stuck in Pakistan, has also voiced deep concern over the deportation drive.

Among those affected is Samia Hamza, a women’s rights activist and former law and international relations student under the U.S.-funded Denton Program. After the Taliban seized power, she protested against the ban on girls’ education, further endangering herself.

As conditions worsened in late 2021, she fled to Pakistan. However, she has since faced severe discrimination and economic hardship while awaiting U.S. resettlement through the special immigration visas for Afghans program.

The Pakistani government has ruled out extending the deportation deadline despite appeals from international organizations and the Taliban administration. Justifying its crackdown on Afghans, the government has drawn parallels to ongoing deportation efforts in the United States and various European countries.

Meanwhile, Philippa Candler, the Pakistan representative at the United Nations refugee agency, urged Pakistan and Afghanistan to ensure voluntary, safe returns. “Forced returns help no one and aren’t sustainable — many deported in 2023 have already returned.”

Many Afghans remember terrifying scenes of the 2023 expulsions, dreading the moment when police contingents might arrive — knocking on doors, rounding up families into trucks and transferring them to detention centers before forcing them into Afghanistan.

“We are all praying for a miracle that Pakistan will stop the deportations to a country my children have never seen,” said Naik Bakht, an Afghan refugee who arrived in Karachi in 1996. A father of three, all born in Pakistan, he said he fears for their future.

“I am terrified. What will we do in Afghanistan? Where will we go? How will we survive?”

Uncertainty Torments Afghan Refugees Facing Deportation from Pakistan
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Russian authorities move to lift the terrorist designation for the Taliban

Associated Press

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s Supreme Court on Monday said it received a petition from the prosecutor general’s office to lift a ban on Afghanistan’s Taliban, who were outlawed two decades ago as a terrorist group.

The court said in a statement it would hold a hearing on the petition, submitted by Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov, on April 17. Russia last year adopted a law stipulating that the official terrorist designation of an organization could be suspended by a court.

The Taliban were put on Russia’s list of terrorist organizations in 2003. Any contact with such groups is punishable under Russian law.

At the same time, Taliban delegations have attended various forums hosted by Moscow. Russian officials have shrugged off questions about the seeming contradiction by emphasizing the need to engage the Taliban to help stabilize Afghanistan, which the group rules.

There is a deepening divide in the international community on how to deal with the Taliban, who have been in power for three years and face no real opposition. Afghanistan’s rulers have pursued bilateral ties with major regional powers.

In recent years, the Central Asian nations of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have removed the Taliban from their lists of terror groups.

There are U.N. sanctions on the Taliban.

Russian authorities move to lift the terrorist designation for the Taliban
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