Thousands of Afghans who are eligible for a U.S. evacuation out of the country now face one final life-and-death hurdle — getting to Kabul without being captured or killed by the Taliban.
, and has promised others will be flown to a third country soon. But the Afghans have to make their way to the capital of Kabul on their own in order to be evacuated.
For the first U.S. evacuation expected next week, the Afghans were told to show up to Kabul for a final medical exam as soon as Monday, according to an email shared with NBC News and accounts from refugee advocacy groups. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said the administration was undertaking something “that was never initially envisioned” as part of the visa program for Afghans who worked as interpreters, drivers or other roles.
In the meantime, Mohammad will have to bid farewell to his mother, who did not qualify for a visa, and his brother, who also worked with the Americans but whose U.S. visa application is still in limbo, he said.Another potential evacuee, who did not want to be named because he was afraid of being targeted by the Taliban, said his paperwork for the Special Immigrant Visa program had been approved and he was waiting for a visa interview — one of the final steps before being cleared for a U.S. visa.
Jalalabad is only 100 miles from Kabul along a major highway — but the road cuts through areas contested by the Taliban. U.S. officials said an additional 4,000 Afghans, along with their families, will be evacuated to a third country or a U.S. military base overseas. The administration has yet to announce the third countries that will host the refugees but according to a source familiar with the discussions, Qatar has agreed to take in 2,000 Afghans and their families. The U.S.
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