The U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan is urging Washington to evacuate Afghans under threat because of their work with the U.S. government — warning they cannot get out on their own and are in desperate need, according to internal cable obtained by ABC News.
by Taliban fighters, Afghans, U.S. lawmakers and advocacy groups are urging the administration to increase the tempo of evacuation flights and the scope of who qualifies for a coveted seat on one.
But that new program requires that these Afghans flee the country first -- a barrier too high for the vast majority of them, according to Wilson.can make their way to safety on foot does not reflect the new reality," Wilson wrote -- noting Taliban forces exercise control of more than half of the country's border crossings, neighboring countries Iran and Pakistan are closing their borders to more refugees and other countries around the world are not offering Afghans visas to enter.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Thursday that despite the evacuation of a significant number of U.S. diplomats, the embassy will continue to process visas in Afghanistan.Afghan Special Immigrant Visa applicants crowd into the Herat Kabul Internet cafe to apply for the SIV program on Aug. 8, 2021, in Kabul, Afghanistan.
"We have a solemn, a sincere responsibility to these brave Afghans," Price told reporters Thursday."We're going to honor that responsibility and increase the pace of those relocation flights."
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