Secrecy Shrouds Afghan Refugees Sent by US to Base in Kosovo
23 Oct 2021
Associated Press | By BEN FOX
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. is welcoming tens of thousands of Afghans airlifted out of Kabul but has disclosed little publicly about a small group who remain overseas: dozens who triggered potential security issues during security vetting and have been sent to an American base in the Balkan nation of Kosovo.
Human rights advocates have raised concerns about the Afghans diverted to Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo over the past six weeks, citing a lack of transparency about their status, the reasons for holding them back and the question of what might become of any who can't be cleared to come to the U.S.
“We are obviously concerned,” said Jelena Sesar, a researcher for Amnesty International who specializes in the Balkans. “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?”
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2021/10/23/secrecy-shrouds-afghan-refugees-sent-us-base-kosovo.html
