Reports indicate that 82 Afghan female students in Oman are at risk of expulsion and forced return to Afghanistan due to cuts in U.S. aid to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
The reports state that these girls were transferred to the “Middle East College” in Muscat with the support of the Women’s Scholarship Foundation (WSE) in late 2024, and their number has reached 82.
These students say that changes in U.S. government policies have led to the cessation of financial support, and now they are facing the threat of forced expulsion.
In conversations with the media, they stated: “If we are forced to return to Afghanistan, our lives and education will be jeopardized due to severe restrictions on girls’ education and security threats.”
The students emphasized: “We have sought immediate assistance from the U.S. Embassy to find ways to ensure our safety and continue our education.”
They also called on the international community, particularly the United States, to seriously examine their situation and prevent their forced return to Afghanistan.
They believe that their education is not only beneficial for their personal growth but also critically important for the stability and progress of Afghanistan as future representatives of their country.
This comes after Donald Trump issued a 90-day suspension of all foreign aid on his first day in office. The White House announcement stated that these aids would be halted until a thorough review and assessment of their alignment with new U.S. policies.
It is noteworthy that this order led to the suspension of operations by the U.S. Agency for International Development worldwide, disrupting essential services such as food, medical assistance, and humanitarian aid across the globe.
