US President Joe Biden directed the launching of flights this month to relocate eligible Afghan nationals who were deployed on behalf of the US government and their families, a senior administration official circulated on social media on Tuesday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th July, 2021) US President Joe Biden directed the launching of flights this month to relocate eligible Afghan nationals who were deployed on behalf of the US government and their families, a senior administration official circulated on social media on Tuesday.
"At President Biden's direction, the United States sis launching Operation Allies Refuge to support relocation flights for interested and eligible Afghan nationals and their families who have supported the United States and our partners in Afghanistan and are in SIV [Special Immigrant Visas] application pipeline," the official said. "Flights out of Afghanistan for SIV applicants who are already in the pipeline will begin in the last week of July."
The official also said the details about when flights will depart would not be disclosed for operational security reasons.
The State Department Coordination Unit, which will have representatives from the departments of Defense and of Homeland Security, will be leading the operation.
The Defense Department has said the US had withdrawn more than 95 percent of its military personnel and equipment from Afghanistan while Biden said the withdrawal would be finished by August 31.
