Trump administration grants nine-month extension for Qatar camp sheltering 1,000+ Afghan allies

President Donald Trump’s team is preparing a last-minute diplomatic note, expected to be signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, that extends the life of Camp As Sayliyah in Qatar for an additional nine months. The camp, slated to close at the end of the U.S. budget year, shelters more than 1,000 Afghans who worked with American forces or are relatives of U.S. military personnel, with women and children comprising over 70% of the population.

The extension averts an imminent forced removal to Afghanistan, buying time for the State Department to explore voluntary resettlement options with other countries. The decision comes after months of congressional testimony and reports that the administration had been considering alternatives such as relocation to Congo. Advocacy groups stress that a lasting solution is essential, warning that a return to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan would endanger the residents. The State Department reiterated its commitment to finding a safe pathway for the camp’s occupants, though no concrete plan was disclosed.