The US wants to bring Afghan aid workers who have supported the US military on the ground to safety with evacuation flights. The goal is to fly out the eligible people from the last week of July, the White House spokeswoman said on Wednesday.
For security reasons, it could not be said how many people were involved. Even where people are flown remained open. However, it concerns locals who are already in the application process for a corresponding US visa. “These are brave people. We want to make sure we recognize and value the role they have played over the past few years,” said spokeswoman Jen Psaki.
Despite the Taliban’s alarming advance, US President Joe Biden announced last week that the Afghanistan operation would end on 31 August – after almost 20 years. Then only US soldiers are to remain in Afghanistan to protect the embassy. Many Afghans who worked for the US during the deployment, such as interpreters, can apply for special immigrant visas for the US.
According to experts, the Afghan helpers are threatened with revenge by the radical Islamic Taliban after the withdrawal of the troops. Also in Germany, the handling of these local forces, which supported the Bundeswehr during the operation, is an issue. The federal government had promised them help. Critics complain, however, that the locals are largely abandoned.
