The United States evacuated over one lakh
people from Kabul since the Taliban dethroned the US-backed Afghan government
in August. Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan, the US airlifted remaining
American citizens or people with special immigrant visas who worked as military
interpreters for the last 20 years. But that is still not enough as more people
in the Taliban controlled Afghanistan are calling on the US and other nations
to rescue them, reported AP.
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124,000 people were airlifted in the
initial phases amid chaotic situations with thousands of people gathering at
the Kabul airport to get out of the country. Afghans who escaped the country
are now living in eight countries in Europe and America. But as most of the
countries are denying them citizenship, Afghan refugees are approaching the US
government for permanent citizenship.
The US has so far admitted 73,000 Afghans
from this initial phase. They will eventually move to communities around the
United States with assistance from private organizations. About 40,000 are still
being housed at seven military bases in the US as they complete immigration and
medical processing and await resettlement.
In September, the Taliban started to allow
some charter flights to leave the country with American citizens, US residents
and visa holders, as well as people from other countries and Afghans with
proper travel documents. Private organizations with names such as Allied
Airlift 21 and Task Force Argo have reported getting charter flights out with
hundreds of people. The State Department has chartered flights and says it has
evacuated 435 American citizens and 325 people with permanent US resident
status — green card holders — since August 30.
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People involved in the evacuation said only
8,000 people could leave Afghanistan as most of them lost or destroyed their
documents when the Taliban took over the country.
Those who wish to leave are also facing
problems because the American Embassy has closed. Qatar recently agreed to
handle some consular services for the US.