Afghan Refugees Launch Hunger Strike in Qatar, Decrying “Years of Broken Promises”

DOHA, Qatar – Dozens of Afghan refugees held at a U.S.-run transit camp in Qatar have launched a hunger strike, a desperate protest against what they describe as years of bureaucratic limbo and broken promises regarding their resettlement in the United States.

The protest, which began late Sunday at the Al-Sayliyah camp, underscores the deepening crisis for many evacuees who were promised a swift pathway to America after the Taliban’s takeover in 2021. The refugees, many of whom worked directly with U.S. and allied forces, say they are now trapped in a state of indefinite detention with no clear timeline for their future.

“We Feel Forgotten in a Prison”

Frustration among the approximately 1,300 Afghans at the former U.S. military base has been simmering for months, but organizers say it has now reached a breaking point.

“We have been held here for years without a clear answer. Is this the reward for our service and loyalty?” said one refugee, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of jeopardizing his case. “They call it a camp, but with no freedom and no end in sight, it feels like a prison. The hunger strike is our last resort to be heard.”

The protesters have vowed to continue their strike until U.S. authorities provide clarity on their legal status and a definitive resettlement date. The dire conditions are already taking a physical toll. According to accounts from within the camp, several women participating in the strike were hospitalized after their health deteriorated in the intense Qatari heat, compounded by their refusal to eat.

A Pathway Mired in Bureaucracy

The refugees at Al-Sayliyah were among the tens of thousands airlifted from Kabul in the chaotic August 2021 evacuation. Having worked as interpreters, engineers, and support staff for Western governments and international organizations, they were deemed eligible for special immigrant visas (SIVs) or humanitarian parole.

Initially, U.S. officials indicated their processing and relocation would be a matter of weeks. However, the refugees report that their cases have been stalled by a complex and sluggish bureaucratic process. They cite delays exacerbated by shifting immigration policies between the Biden and previous administrations, which have created a legal and procedural gridlock.

“These individuals were told they were being evacuated to safety, but instead they have been left in a state of prolonged uncertainty that is deeply damaging to their mental and physical health,” said a representative from a refugee advocacy group monitoring the situation. “The U.S. has a moral obligation to these people who put their lives at risk for the American mission in Afghanistan.”

A Plea to Washington and a Wider Problem

In a direct appeal, the striking refugees are calling on the U.S. government to intervene personally, honor its commitments, and facilitate their immediate transfer.

The situation in Qatar is not isolated. Similar U.S. processing facilities for Afghan evacuees remain active in Abu Dhabi and Albania, where hundreds more face identical waits, their lives suspended as they await a decision that will determine their future.

As the hunger strike continues, it casts a stark light on the unfinished business of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the human cost of the bureaucratic delays facing its most vulnerable allies.

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