Evacuees in limbo

Afghan ‘security risks’ in secret transport

As thousands of Afghans are being processed to be resettled in the United States, more than two dozen have been flagged in the security-vetting process and secretly transported to an American base in Kosovo.

Around 30 Afghan evacuees, along with about 170 relatives, have been transported to Camp Bondsteel in the past six weeks, anonymous US officials told The Associated Press.

The current number of evacuees at the base is unknown, as new people arrive and others leave when their security issues are resolved.

According to the US officials, the government of Kosovo — a small Balkan nation — agreed to let the Afghans stay for a year.

One official said the refugees transported are not technically detained, but are not free to leave the base, under conditions set by the Kosovo government. They were evacuated out of Afghanistan by the United States, but raised security concerns during one of the checkpoints while in transit.

Some of the issues have to do with missing documents.

Many Republican lawmakers have raised questions over America’s screening system in recent weeks, noting concerns about people who are potential security risks entering the country.

National Security Council spokeswoman Emily Horne has defended the system.

“The fact that some people have been flagged by our counterterrorism, intelligence, or law-enforcement professionals for additional screening shows our system is working,” she said.

One official revealed that the refugees sent to Camp Bondsteel require “significant further consideration” before they are allowed to enter the United States. After analysis, some have been deemed “suitable for onward travel to the United States,” while others’ cases are ongoing. The official did not reveal how many taken to Kosovo have been allowed entry into the United States.

None of the flagged individuals have been sent back to Afghanistan.

The fate of anyone who is not approved for entry into the United States will be decided on an “individualized” basis, according to the officials, meaning some could be resettled in another country.

Camp Bondsteel is closed to outsiders, including lawyers, and humanrights advocates have slammed the lack of access.

“There is not real access to the camp. There’s no public or independent scrutiny of what happens in there,” said Jelena Sesar, a researcher for Amnesty International.

“We are obviously concerned,” Sesar said. “What really happens with these people, especially the people who don’t pass security vetting? Are they going to be detained? Are they going to have any access to legal assistance? And what is the plan for them? Is there any risk of them ultimately being returned to Afghanistan?”

More than 66,000 Afghans have arrived in the United States since midAugust; around 55,000 of those are posted at military bases, where they continue to undergo vetting processes.

Another 5,000 people who were evacuated remain at transit points across the Middle East and Europe, under Department of Homeland Security policy.

The official number of Afghan allies left behind has not been released, but some organizations working to resettle them in the United States have said the number could be as high as 75,000.