Afghan migrants in Albania, hoping to relocate to the United States, face an uncertain future after President Trump suspended aid for resettling Afghan refugees. This move has halted flights for thousands of Afghans with approved visas, leaving them stranded and vulnerable to Taliban persecution. Migrants in Shengjin, Albania, express anxiety and fear as their dreams of a new life hang in the balance.
Afghan migrants enjoy the sea as they hope of going to the U.S., in the coastal town of Shengjin, Albania, January 26, 2025. REUTERS/Florion Goga
"I don't know if we will ever get on that plane and, if so, whether it will go to Kabul or the United States," Amini said from Shengjin, a coastal town in northern Albania where he is sheltering along with 300 compatriots. Following the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, thousands who worked for the U.S. army or other organizations were processed in Albania and granted visas before travelling to the United States.
"If we return, they will kill us because, to the Taliban, we are essentially Americans and their number one enemies, as we worked shoulder to shoulder with the Americans."Most of those affected by Trump's decision are stranded in Afghanistan, with others in Pakistan, Qatar and Albania, VanDiver said.
In Shengjin, children play soccer and write their names in the sand on the beach, while their parents anxiously check phones for news. Among whispers, Trump's name is mentioned. "Things are changing every hour, and the wait until next week feels like a lifetime. I am so worried," Sadat added.
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