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First batch of Afghan refugees arrives in Canada
Their arrival comes following the announcement on July 23 of a special programme to resettle those Afghans who were integral to Canada’s mission as part of the international coalition.
The first batch of Afghans, given refuge by the Canadian government as they supported its mission in Afghanistan, arrived in the country on Wednesday.
While the exact number of those refugees or where they arrived was not disclosed, more are expected in Canada over the weeks ahead.
A statement jointly released by the country’s minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship Marco Mendicino, foreign affairs minister Marc Garneau and defence minister Harjit Sajjan, said Ottawa “has been seized with the urgency on the ground and is working as quickly as possible to resettle Afghan nationals who put themselves at great risk to support Canada’s work in Afghanistan”.
Their arrival comes following the announcement on July 23 of a special programme to resettle such refugees in Canada since with the “situation in Afghanistan deteriorating rapidly, many have become Taliban targets due to their work”.
These Afghans were considered integral to Canada’s mission as part of the international coalition.
The release said Canada was working to identify those eligible for the special immigration measures and that a team has been on the ground in Afghanistan, including support staff assisting these individuals in submitting their applications and requested documentation. “We are doing everything we can to get every Afghan refugee out as swiftly and safely as possible, but we recognise that the security situation can change rapidly,” it said.
While over 800 such refugees moved to Canada over the past decade, many remained behind and there were fears of them becoming targets of the Taliban. The government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was criticised by veterans’ groups and the opposition for its lethargy in acting in this regard, leading to the announcement of the special measures implemented late last month.
“To protect the safety of those being evacuated and the security of this operation, further operational details will not be released, including information on where Afghans will be resettled in Canada,” the statement noted.
“We committed to do right by the Afghans who supported Canada’s mission in Afghanistan. With the arrival of the first resettled Afghan refugees in Canada, we are making good on that promise,” the ministers said.
