Afghan Refugees in Abu Dhabi Protest Slow Resettlement

Afghan refugees who left Afghanistan during the August 2021 Taliban takeover demonstrated in Abu Dhabi this week against the slow resettlement process. The refugees have been living in temporary housing in a facility in Abu Dhabi. Thousands of Afghans are still living in temporary housing, awaiting resettlement to the United States or other countries, Reuters reported, citing Afghans living in the housing.

The refugees held similar protests in February, at which time a US State Department official said all Afghans there – an estimated 12,000 at the time – would be resettled by August. A State Department spokesperson told Reuters that more than 10,000 Afghans had been relocated from the facility to the US.

The US was cooperating with the UAE and other countries to find “resettlement options” for those ineligible for US relocation, according to reports. Some Afghans in the UAE have returned voluntarily in recent months.