The US has finally withdrawn from Afghanistan. But many local workers remain in the Taliban-ruled country. All developments in the news ticker.
- In Afghanistan * the radical Islamist Taliban * have taken power.
- A large part of the local staff in the service of the USA * could not be flown out during the evacuation mission at Kabul airport.
- All information and current developments, collected for you in our Afghanistan newsletter *.
Kabul – According to several media reports, most of the Afghan aid workers who had supported the US were left behind after the final withdrawal of troops from Kabul. “I have no estimate of the number of visa applicants and family members who are still there. But I would say it is the majority of them, based on information about the population that we were able to support, ”said a representative from the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday (09/01/2021).
More than 100,000 people were flown out of Afghanistan on the evacuation mission, including around 5,500 US citizens. However, it is unclear how many of the evacuated local workers are – those left behind fear acts of retaliation by the Taliban and other Islamist groups.
Afghanistan: rescuer of US President Joe Biden not evacuated
“It was not nice. It was a great challenge, ”said the representative of the Foreign Ministry on the sometimes dramatic and chaotic mission at Kabul Airport. “Everyone who has been through it will be haunted by the choices we have had to make. And from the people whom we could not help to leave the country in this first phase of the mission. “
According to a media report, there is also a former interpreter for US President Joe Biden among those arrested. * The Afghan, who took part in a rescue mission for Biden and two other US politicians in 2008, did not receive a timely exit permit, the Wall Street Journal reported . Fearing retaliation from the Taliban, he has now gone into hiding with his family and is hoping for help from Washington.
“Hello Mr. President, save me and my family,” the newspaper’s translator told the newspaper in a cry for help. “Don’t forget me here.” The man, whom the Wall Street Journal only names Mohammed for security reasons, had worked regularly for the US military and accompanied armed forces on combat missions. In 2008, he was part of a small reaction force that rescued then Senator Biden and two other US politicians after their helicopter had to make an emergency landing in a remote area due to a snow storm, a former soldier told the newspaper.
Also people with US passports in Afghanistan
In response to the media report, the White House promised to help the interpreter. “Our message to him is: Thank you for fighting by our side for the past 20 years,” said a spokeswoman. “We’ll get you out of there. We will honor your service. “
Not only were local US workers left behind in the Taliban-ruled country, there are still some people with US passports in Afghanistan. Washington wants to do everything possible to get these people out of the country. “There is no deadline for this,” said Joe Biden on Tuesday (August 31, 2021). There are probably still 100 to 200 US citizens in Afghanistan who have “a certain intention to leave the country”. Most of those who stayed behind would have dual citizenship and long-term ties to Afghanistan. (tvd / AFP) * fr.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.
Rubriklistenbild: © Armend Nimani / AFP
