Biden: "Afghan Refugees to Be Accommodated at US Military Bases Worldwide"

"Refugee Screening in Third Countries... Only Refugees Who Pass Screening Enter the US"
No Mention of Hosting at USFK Bases
USFK: "No Orders Yet Regarding Refugee Acceptance"

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] U.S. President Joe Biden announced that refugees evacuated from Afghanistan will first be accommodated at U.S. military bases and other third-party locations around the world, where security and refugee screenings will be conducted. With President Biden formalizing the acceptance of refugees at U.S. military bases in third countries, there is speculation that the United States Forces Korea (USFK) might also accommodate Afghan refugees. However, USFK stated, "We have not yet been instructed to take on refugee accommodation duties."

On the 22nd (local time), President Biden said in a White House speech, "The planes carrying refugees departing from Kabul will not come directly to the United States," adding, "We plan to first send them to transit points such as U.S. military bases in foreign regions."

He further stated that Afghan refugees will be "accommodated in 24 countries across four continents."

President Biden added, "Refugees who have applied for Special Immigrant Visas (SIV) have been transferred to places like Qatar, Germany, Kuwait, and Spain, where they are undergoing refugee screening." He also mentioned ongoing consultations with leaders of key countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Italy.

President Biden did not mention whether the USFK bases would accommodate refugees. However, he said that discussions on refugee accommodation are underway with "numerous countries across continents including Asia, Africa, and Europe."

Earlier, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), the U.S. government is reportedly considering accommodating Afghan refugees at overseas U.S. military bases, including those in South Korea.

In response, USFK spokesperson Lee Peters told Voice of America (VOA) that "so far, USFK has not been tasked with providing temporary shelter or other support to people departing from Afghanistan."

Spokesperson Peters emphasized, "If such orders are given, USFK will cooperate with the U.S. Department of State, Department of Defense, and the South Korean government while maintaining its obligation to provide and uphold a strong combined defense posture between the U.S. and South Korea."

President Biden emphasized that the measure to accommodate refugees in third countries is to conduct refugee screenings before their entry into the United States, stating, "Only refugees who pass the screening will be allowed to come to the U.S. mainland."

Previously, Republican lawmakers in the U.S. had expressed concerns about the possibility of terrorist organizations such as ISIS entering the U.S. amid the refugee exodus following the fall of Kabul, demanding stricter refugee screenings.

It is analyzed that President Biden’s announcement to first accommodate refugees at U.S. military bases and other third-party locations before conducting screenings reflects awareness of these concerns.

Additionally, the U.S. government has decided to deploy civilian aircraft to transport refugees.

On the same day, John Kirby, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Defense, announced the formation of a civilian reserve air fleet to assist Afghan refugees.

This includes 18 civilian aircraft from airlines such as American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, and United Airlines.

Kirby explained that these aircraft will not enter Kabul but will transport refugees who have left Afghanistan to U.S. military bases in Europe and the Middle East.

President Biden said, "The deployment of civilian aircraft is expected to help with the evacuation operation for refugees."

Meanwhile, U.S. authorities reported that more than 28,000 people have been evacuated from Afghanistan since the 14th of this month up to the present day.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.