US diplomat apologizes to thousands of Afghans stuck in UAE

By JON GAMBRELL
Associated Press
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A senior U.S. diplomat has apologized to thousands of Afghans stranded in the United Arab Emirates months after the fall of Kabul to the Taliban. The diplomat spoke to the stranded Afghans on Friday, promising to speed repatriation for some to America while acknowledging that may not be possible as authorities work to confirm their identities and backgrounds. The diplomat and other officials spoke on condition of anonymity, citing the “ongoing natures of the issues discussed.”