Afghanistan crisis: The Imam of Ramstein

33,000 people evacuated from Afghanistan landed at the US air force base in Ramstein. From there they will be flown to the USA or other countries. An iman conveys hope.

Imam Mir Ali walks through the huge makeshift tent city on the US Air Base in Ramstein. The military chaplain with the rank of captain smiles at the people, nods his head encouragingly. Many here know him. The 41-year-old is the only imam in the US Air Force in Europe.

At the end of June he started his service in the Palatinate and is now, during the Afghanistan crisis, the man who probably understands best what needs and fears the people evacuated from Afghanistan have.

The Muslim military chaplain explains that he quickly got into conversation with the people of Afghanistan about their shared beliefs. There are enough issues, many refugees are desperate: “There are many problems with which they are confronted. The obvious thing is that they have been displaced, are away from home, in a foreign country,” he says tagesschau.de. Many have nothing left except the clothes they are wearing and their name. They also worry about family members left behind in Afghanistan. ”

540 tents, including eleven prayer tents

Very close to Imam Mir Ali, boys are playing soccer with a US soldier. Men in traditional Afghan clothing pace up and down in front of the tents, mothers calm their crying children, laundry flutters to dry on the barriers next to the accommodations. There are now more than 540 tents for the people from Afghanistan and for the helpers and the administration.

Imam Mir Ali runs to a large white tent that at first glance looks like everyone else. At the entrance there are several pieces of paper with a picture of a mosque and times for prayers. The dwelling is one of eleven prayer tents that are now on the site – separated into men and women.

The imam takes off his heavy military boots and goes into the tent. Dozens of small prayer rugs lie here. In one corner – a sign that reads “Qibla”, that is the direction of prayer prescribed by the Koran to Mecca.

The Imam says that the prayer tents are the only familiar thing for many refugees in their current uprooted situation: “Here I offer you a prayer room, a sacred space in which you can say your five daily prayers, we pray together. This is important, to bring some rest, peace and comfort to their hearts.

US airlift from Afghanistan

So far, more than 135 aircraft have landed in Ramstein during “Operation Allies Refuge”. People still arrive here who are flown out by the US Air Force from US military bases in the Middle East. The evacuation mission is one of the largest airlifts in US history.

Caring for the people who do not stay in Ramstein for more than ten days is a Herculean task for the US Air Force and many others involved. With hardly any preparation time, more than 33,000 people, including many families with small children, have had to receive medical care and food. In addition, there were the many injured after the devastating suicide attack in Kabul, who were flown out to Ramstein here.

The Imam describes the immense work on the base as follows: “It is as if we were flying a broken plane that we repaired during the flight.”

A tent for the council of elders

In addition to the eleven prayer tents, there is now also a tent for the so-called council of elders. “Through the conversations with the Afghans here, we noticed that it makes sense to provide a tent for a so-called council of elders. Current problems due to the accommodation situation are to be addressed here,” explains Mir Ali.

The Afghans decide among themselves who is appointed to this body. Above all men who are older than 50 would be eligible. The Imam says that the Council of Elders acts as a kind of mouthpiece and mediates between the US military and the refugees, for example communicating rules of the military to the Afghans, or vice versa: passing on the wishes of the Afghans, for example the request for halal food, that is, foods that are prepared according to Muslim dietary regulations.

Uncertain future

Pastor Mir Ali and his team try to give people a sense of security and hope before they leave Ramstein. Hangar 5 of the air base is located a few hundred meters from the tent city. This is where the people come, whose onward flight to the USA or other countries is imminent.

Despite the many travelers waiting in the makeshift terminal for the shuttle buses to take them to the planes, it is surprisingly quiet here. Many people are withdrawn, stare in front of themselves, think with fear of the past weeks and look with apprehension into an uncertain future. Most of them have no luggage with them, just themselves and the hope that everything will be fine.