More than 200 Afghan interpreters arrive in US

KABUL (Pajhwok): The first batch of over 200 afghan interpreters who worked for the US military and diplomats have arrived in Virginia.

President Joe Biden announced their arrival on Friday, as the first flight evacuated the interpreters and their families from Kabul.

“Today is an important milestone as we continue to fulfill our promise to the thousands of Afghan nationals who served with American troops and diplomats over the last 20 years in Afghanistan,” Biden said.

In a statement, the American president said; “I want to thank these brave Afghans for standing with the US, and today, I am proud to say to them: ‘Welcome home.’”

The arrivals mark the beginning of the Biden administration’s key initiative to evacuate thousands of Afghans who face retribution from the Taliban.

The Wall Street Journal reported the families would be resettled in cities with assistance from the US Refugee Admissions Program.

Ambassador Tracey Ann Jacobson, head of the State Department task force on the evacuations, said it would be the first of many flights.

She told journalists: “We will learn from the experience of this first flight and apply it to future flights. These folks have, in recent days, left their entire lives behind and immigrated to the United States with just their luggage.”

About 700 applicants, who are in the final stages of applying for a Special Immigrant Visa, are expected to be evacuated to the US over the next few weeks.

Russ Travers, the deputy homeland security advisor on the National Security Council, remarked the flight represented a fulfillment of the US commitment to honour these Afghans’ brave service in helping to support the American mission in Afghanistan.

About 20,000 Afghans worked for the United States after the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan. They are now seeking evacuation.

PAN Monitor/mud