The family of an Afghan interpreter who worked with Australian soldiers has been evacuated from Kabul by the US Air Force, after struggling to complete Australian visa applications and fearing Taliban reprisals.
Key points:
- The man said he and his family were unable to finalise their Australian visas amid the chaos in Kabul
- An Afghan-Australian in Kabul said he was unable to reach the airport after waiting nearly 20 hours
- An Afghan woman said she was too scared to leave her home because she has no male companion
Nasir — who only wants to be identified by his last name — served as an interpreter for ADF soldiers based near Tarin Kot between 2009 and 2013 and has since resettled in Australia.
Lawyers for Nasir said the Australian authorities required his family send their visa documents in the post.
Finding that impossible amid the chaos in Kabul, they turned to the United States, and even with limited documents, US soldiers were willing to put them on an evacuation flight.
"The Americans were aware that these people were the family of an Australian interpreter and they agreed to evacuate them as they had a feeling they were in danger," Nasir told the ABC.
Some of Nasir's extended family who were also evacuated by the US were related to his cousin, who he says was an ADF interpreter killed in duty.
"He was shot early in the morning along with another Australian soldier. There was an Australian soldier killed in that mission too."
AP: US Marine Corps
)Nasir's family group was taken to the Al Maktoum airport in Dubai and then to a US Air Force base in Germany, where they are still being processed.
He is still hopeful they may be granted a humanitarian visa to settle in Australia, where they can be reunited.
The ABC has contacted the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for comment on the family's evacuation and visa status.
Australia has evacuated hundreds of people from Kabul in recent days, including those with links to New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the US.
Stranded Australians grow weary
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has described the situation in the Afghan capital as "terribly dangerous", particularly around the airport.
"We are certainly getting Australians out and Afghan visa holders on their way to Australia, but we also doing the same for other countries, just as they have done for us," Mr Morrison said.
AP: Rahmat Gul
)"We will be doing everything we can in the time we have to get as many people out as safely as possible."
The ABC has also spoken with an Afghan-Australian who has been unable to reach the airport despite three dangerous and arduous journeys.
The person – who cannot be named as it may endanger them – was among a crowd of people navigating Taliban checkpoints on the weekend.
Once the individual arrived at the airport, they and hundreds of other people were forced to wait almost 20 hours before the gate was eventually closed.
The person is registered with the Australian government, but little can be done to assist them unless they make it into the airport.
The individual told the ABC they were frustrated that other nations were willing to operate outside the airport.
Too scared to leave home
On Friday, Mr Morrison said military operations beyond the airport were not possible.
"They are not able to be undertaken in any way by the Australian defence forces – to do so would put them at great risk with no commensurate benefit," he said.
A woman – who said she is married to an Australian resident – told the ABC she was too scared to leave her home let alone travel to the airport.
She lodged an Australian visa application shortly before the Taliban arrived in Kabul, but it has not been processed.
"I am alone here with my baby girl and fearing for my life because I have no male companion with me, and under this regime, I'm at risk of being executed if I go outside without a man," she told the ABC.
"I am scared to the point that I cannot even go out of the house to get baby formula for my child.
"I am requesting the Australian government to help me get out of Afghanistan as my child and I are at great risk of losing our lives. Please."
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiYWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIxLTA4LTIzL2FkZi1pbnRlcnByZXRlci1mYW1pbHktZXZhY3VhdGVkLWJ5LXVzLWFpci1mb3JjZS8xMDAzOTgxNjLSAShodHRwczovL2FtcC5hYmMubmV0LmF1L2FydGljbGUvMTAwMzk4MTYy?oc=5
2021-08-22 23:01:39Z
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