US deports relative of Afghans who aided military to Africa

What the report says

The Trump administration has deported dozens of people from the United States to the Central African Republic, including an Afghan man in his early 20s whose family members supported the US military, according to Al Jazeera, his lawyer, and advocacy groups. A US judge had previously granted him protection from removal to Afghanistan because of fears he could face Taliban persecution.

Al Jazeera reported that the man’s relatives had been threatened in Afghanistan because of their ties to US forces. His lawyer, Alma David, said one brother served in the Afghan National Army, another was a US-trained pilot who was later killed by the Taliban, and other family members also worked alongside American troops. AfghanEvac, the ACLU, and Human Rights First confirmed that he was among those sent out of the country.

The deportation flight landed in Bangui, the Central African Republic’s capital, on Saturday, carrying 12 Afghans, eight Iranians, and several people from Nepal and Nicaragua, according to Human Rights First. It was the third such flight to the Central African Republic this year, the rights group said. The report said the case reflects a broader US policy of sending some migrants to third countries where they have no connections, often under quiet arrangements.

The development is significant because the Central African Republic remains unstable, and the US State Department currently advises Americans not to travel there because of insecurity, crime, kidnapping, health risks, and terrorism concerns.