Today: 8 May 2025
20 July 2021
1 min read

US set to relocate Afghan evacuees

President Joe Biden’s administration has been facing pressure from lawmakers to evacuate Afghans who helped the US military and are vulnerable to Taliban reprisals….reports Asian Lite News

About 2,500 Afghans who helped the US military in the two-decade war will be relocated to an army base in Virginia to complete their visa application process, the State Department said.

“The Department of Defense has agreed at the request of the Department of State to allow the use of Fort Lee, Virginia, as the initial relocation site for the pool of applicants who are closest to completing special immigrant processing,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters at a briefing on Monday.

“Approximately 2,500 Afghans and family members are currently eligible to finish special immigrant processing in the US,” he added.

The White House said last week that some 20,000 Afghans had applied for Special Immigrants Visa (SIV), and the evacuation flights for eligible applicants out of the country will begin in the last week of July, reports Xinhua news agency.

President Joe Biden’s administration has been facing pressure from lawmakers to evacuate Afghans who helped the US military and are vulnerable to Taliban reprisals.

President Biden had ordered the US military to end its mission in Afghanistan by August 31, days ahead of his original September 11 deadline.

The US Central Command said last week over 95 per cent of the withdrawal had been completed.

The security situation in the war-torn country has deteriorated as Taliban militants continue heavy fighting against government forces and gain ground since the drawdown of US troops on May 1.

ALSO READ: ‘Re-entering Afghanistan will be impossible for US’

Previous Story

Oman’s Eid lockdown comes into effect

Next Story

Plan to build routes to China via PoK likely to irk India

Latest from -Top News

India Strikes Terror Bases in Pakistan

‘Justice is served’, says Indian Army as Operation Sindoor unfolds In a significant military response to the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 civilian lives, the Indian Army on Wednesday

UAE Reopens Doors to Lebanon

The prime minister expressed Lebanon’s “utmost gratitude and appreciation to the UAE” and President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan….reports Asian Lite News Lebanon welcomed the decision by the United Arab Emirates

SYRIA RAIDS: Arab League Slams Israel

The Arab League condemned the airstrikes and called on the international community and the United Nations to confront what it described as “repeated violations committed by Israel against the Syrian state.” The

India Rises, Africa Watches 

While struggling economies in Africa engulf themselves in ideological battles and take sides in the tariff battles, nations like India are placing their national interest first and navigating Global Trade challenges in

WAVES 2025: Jaishankar Advocates Cultural Pluralism

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar delivered a powerful address at the WAVES 2025 Global Media Dialogue, highlighting the significance of cultural pluralism in shaping global change. Speaking on the second day of
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Why is Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan giving Islamabad a big headache?

The dangerous terror group is committed to a Greater Afghanistan,

Top Qataris Arrive in Kabul to Meet Akhund

Taliban acting Prime Minister Hassan Akhund thanked Qatar for its