US extends Qatar camp operation for 9 months — Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): The United States has delayed the closure of Camp As Sayliyah in Qatar for nine months, where 1,039 Afghans are staying, the Associated Press reported. The AP reported that the Donald Trump administration made a last-minute decision on Tuesday to prevent the camp from closing. The facility had been scheduled to close on Wednesday, coinciding with the end of the US fiscal year. Two US officials familiar with the matter, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity, said a diplomatic note would extend the camp’s operation for another nine months. The report said the 1,039 Afghans at the camp include people who worked as interpreters or in other roles supporting US forces during the war in Afghanistan, as well as relatives of US service members. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Congress in June that Washington was in discussions with several third countries about relocating the Afghans. The US State Department did not immediately comment on the extension, but said it continued to work towards a solution that would allow the remaining people to start new lives outside Afghanistan while upholding the safety and security of the American people. The department also said it would continue working during the nine-month period to identify options for the relocation of the remaining Camp As Sayliyah residents, but…