'Return to your country,' PM tells Afghans rebuffed by US

The Taliban government urged Afghans hoping to emigrate to the United States to instead return to Afghanistan, after Washington tightened entry conditions.

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US President Donald Trump this week announced a travel ban targeting 12 countries, including Afghanistan, which his proclamation said lacked “competent” central authorities for processing passports and vetting. Trump's sweeping new travel ban came into effect early on Monday immediately after midnight. The move is expected to disrupt refugee pathways and further restrict immigration as the Trump administration expands its crackdown on illegal entries.

Many of the nations covered by the restrictions have adversarial relations with the United States, such as Iran and Afghanistan, while others face severe crises, like Haiti and Libya.

Commenting on the ban, Prime Minister Hassan Akhund urged Afghans to return to their country, saying they would be protected even if they worked with US-led forces in the two-decade fight against the Taliban insurgency.

"For those who are worried that America has closed its doors to Afghans... I want to tell them, 'Return to your country, even if you have served the Americans for 20 or 30 years for their ends, and ruined the Islamic system'," he said in a speech marking the Eid Al Adha holiday, broadcast by state media.