Turkey Pushes Back At US Plan To Resettle Afghans

Muhammad Irfan Published August 04, 2021 | 02:37 PM

Ankara has criticised a US plan to use third countries such as Turkey to resettle thousands of Afghans who risk being targeted by Taliban insurgents over their US links

Istanbul (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Aug, 2021 ) :Ankara has criticised a US plan to use third countries such as Turkey to resettle thousands of Afghans who risk being targeted by Taliban insurgents over their US links.

Less than a month before the United States is set to end its longest-ever war, the State Department on Monday announced a new refugee admissions programme for Afghan nationals.

The programme covers interpreters and translators who worked with US forces, Afghans involved with US-funded projects and those employed by US-based NGOs or media organisations.

It involves resettling the Afghans in third countries in the region for around a year while their paperwork is processed.

But Turkey, which is already home to more than four million migrants -- most from war-torn Syria -- said it was never consulted.

"It's unacceptable to seek a solution to the problem in our country without our country's consent," the foreign ministry said in a statement issued late Tuesday.

The State Department referred to Turkey as one possible relocation point.