Kabul ready for ‘dialogue’ with US, other countries on Afghan refugees

Move by Washington could affect more than 11,000 Afghans, many of whom supported United States

By AFP
May 14, 2025
Afghan refugee families arrive on foot to cross the Pakistan-Afghanistan Torkham border on November 2, 2023. — AFP
Afghan refugee families arrive on foot to cross the Pakistan-Afghanistan Torkham border on November 2, 2023. — AFP

KABUL: The Taliban government said on Tuesday it was ready for “dialogue” with the Trump administration on the repatriation of Afghan refugees whose legal protections in the United States will be revoked in July.

Citing an improved security situation in Afghanistan, Washington announced on Monday that the temporary protected status (TPS) designation for Afghanistan would expire on May 20 and the termination would take effect on July 12.

Kabul is “ready to engage in constructive dialogue with the US & other countries regarding repatriation of Afghans who no longer meet criteria to remain in host countries,” said Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on X. The move by Washington could affect more than 11,000 Afghans, many of whom supported the United States during two decades of war and fled Taliban persecution, according to Shawn VanDiver, president of AfghanEvac.