ABU DHABI: US officials in the United Arab Emirates met with Afghans after a protest in Abu Dhabi this week and discussed their “potential” transfer to the United States, according to an embassy statement.
The UAE was one of several Gulf Arab countries that helped evacuate Afghans fleeing the Taliban after the group seized power in August last year following a US military withdrawal .
Videos circulating on social media this week showed Afghan men protesting in the Emirates’ humanitarian city in the capital Abu Dhabi, where many of those evacuated to the UAE now live.
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The US Embassy said it was aware of the “peaceful protest” to express “concerns regarding future relocation and treatment of onward travel”.
US officials had met with some of the Afghans and discussed their “treatment for possible entry into the United States“, according to a statement sent to AFP on Saturday.
“We continue to screen and screen vulnerable Afghans prior to their arrival in the United States, consistent with the dual goals of protecting national security and providing protection to vulnerable Afghans,” he added.
