# data[].attributes.body
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghan_conflict https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQvd2uhpZRI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6usr-C3lcQ https://www.understandingwar.org/pakistan-and-afghanistan#:~:text=Pakistan%20provided%20the%20mujahideen%20with,the%20mujahideen%20began%20to%20wane. https://www.npr.org/2022/03/15/1084918623/thousands-of-afghan-refugees-are-still-living-in-hotels-while-they-wait-for-hous https://www.usaid.gov/news-information/press-releases/sep-23-2022-united-states-provided-more-11-billion-humanitarian-assistance-afghanistan#:~:text=Search-,The%20United%20States%20Has%20Provided%20More%20Than%20%241.1%20Billion%20To,In%20Afghanistan%20Since%20August%202021&text=News%20%26%20Information-,The%20United%20States%20Has%20Provided%20More%20Than%20%241.1%20Billion%20To,Humanitarian%20Crisis%20In%20Afghan... https://newsela.com/view/ck9noobux01nl0iqjptyl23a7/?redirectUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fnewsela.com%2Fread%2Fafghanboy-surgery%2Fid%2F12697%2F https://newsela.com/view/ck9noockc022x0iqjmci67739/?redirectUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fnewsela.com%2Fread%2Fsoccer-unitesrefugees%2Fid%2F16087%2F https://www.usaid.gov/news-information/press-releases/sep-23-2022-united-states-provided-more-11-billion-humanitarian-assistance-afghanistan#:~:text=Search-,The%20United%20States%20Has%20Provided%20More%20Than%20%241.1%20Billion%20To,In%20Afghanistan%20Since%20August%202021&text=News%20%26%20Information-,The%20United%20States%20Has%20Provided%20More%20Than%20%241.1%20Billion%20To,Humanitarian%20Crisis%20In%20Afghan... https://www.unhcr.org/ir/refugees-in-iran/#:~:text=Nearly%20five%20million%20Afghans%20remain,Republics%20of%20Pakistan%20and%20Iran. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/28/afghans-resettled-in-us-future-uncertain#:~:text=Almost%204%2C500%20Afghans%20have%20received,and%20Immigration%20Services%20(USCIS).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_Kabul_airlift
(ChatGPT, personal communication, May 13, 2023)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Large-scale evacuations of foreign citizens and some vulnerable Afghan citizens took place amid the withdrawal of US and NATO forces at the end of the 2001-2021 war in Afghanistan. The Taliban took control of Kabul and declared victory on 15 August 2021, and the NATO-backed Islamic Republic of Afghanistan collapsed. With the Taliban controlling the whole city except Hamid Karzai International Airport, hostilities ceased and the Taliban assisted in the evacuation effort by providing security and screening evacuees.

Although some countries had previously begun small-scale evacuation efforts in the months leading up to August 2021, such as the American Operation Allies Refuge and the British Operation Pitting, the collapse of the Afghan government occurred sooner than intelligence projections had estimated, and evacuation efforts became more urgent. Several countries launched new evacuation operations, such Canada's Operation AEGIS, India's Operation Devi Shakti, and South Korea's Operation Miracle.

The evacuation operations were one of the largest airlifts in history. Between 14 and 25 August, the US alone evacuated about 82,300 people from Hamid Karzai International Airport, including US citizens, Special Immigrant Visa applicants, and other vulnerable Afghans. In total, over 122,000 people were airlifted abroad. The evacuation was completed on August 30, one day before a deadline agreed upon with the Taliban.

Following the Afghan peace process, the Trump administration and Taliban signed the Doha Agreement in February 2020. Accordingly, the US agreed to withdraw all US forces from Afghanistan by 1 May 2021. The Taliban failed to honor most of its pledges in the agreement. Nonetheless, the Biden administration decided to continue with the planned withdrawal, although it pushed back the completion date first to 11 September 2021 and then to 31 August 2021.

As the US withdrawal proceeded, the Taliban and allied militant groups began a widespread offensive on 1 May 2021. In the ensuing months, the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan through a combination of negotiating wholesale surrenders of Afghan National Army units and their military offensive, capturing provincial capitals, and expanding their control from 77 districts on 13 April to 104 districts on 16 June to 223 districts on 3 August. In July 2021, the US Intelligence Community estimated that the government of Afghanistan could collapse between six and 12 months after the departure of American troops. Intelligence agencies later reduced the estimation to one month.

However, the government collapsed within days, much more rapidly than many anticipated. The Afghan National Army, poorly led and impaired by widespread corruption, was left in chaos, having only two units remained operational by mid-August: the 201st Corps and 111th Division, both based in Kabul. Intelligence projections quickly worsened. By 14 August, the Taliban had encircled Kabul. On 15 August, Kabul fell and the Taliban declared victory in the War in Afghanistan.

As the Taliban seized control, the urgency to evacuate populations vulnerable to the Taliban, including those interpreters and assistants who had worked with the Operation Enduring Freedom; the International Security Assistance Force, Operation Freedom's Sentinel and the Resolute Support Mission; Hazara people; and vulnerable women and minorities, given the treatment of women by the Taliban, gained importance.

After the Taliban seized all border crossings, Kabul Airport remained the only secure route out of Afghanistan. After the fall of Herat on 13 August, the US deployed an additional 3,000 troops and the UK deployed 600 troops to Kabul Airport to secure the airlifts of their nationals, embassy staff, and Afghan citizens who worked with coalition forces. US officials said at the time that all of their forces were still expected to leave Afghanistan by 31 August. On 13 August, a memorandum was sent to all staff of the US embassy to reduce "items with embassy or agency logos, American flags or items which could be misused in propaganda efforts". Diplomats were reported to be rapidly destroying classified documents and other sensitive materials. Among the documents destroyed were the passports of Afghan civilians who had applied for visas.

As the Taliban surrounded and began entering Kabul, US Army CH-47 Chinook, UH-60 Black Hawk and State Department Air Wing CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters began landing at the US embassy to carry out evacuations. A convoy of armored sport utility vehicles (SUVs) was seen departing the embassy grounds, and an attack helicopter was reportedly seen deploying flares in the area to defend against potential shoot-downs. Along with the embassy personnel, 5,000 US troops and some NATO troops remained in the city. The US government later authorized the deployment of 1,000 more troops from the 82nd Airborne Division to the airport, bolstering troop presence in Kabul to 6,000 to facilitate the evacuations.

Panic spread among the civilian population as the Taliban seized the capital, with many citizens rushing to their homes or to the airport, which remained under NATO control after the Afghan government dissolved. A chaotic situation developed as thousands of fleeing Afghan civilians rushed to Kabul Airport, with hundreds crowding the apron in an attempt to catch flights out of the city; some had climbed over boundary walls to enter the airport. US soldiers hovered helicopters low overhead as crowd control, deployed smoke grenades, and occasionally fired warning shots into the air to disperse people attempting to forcefully board aircraft. Video footage emerged showing hundreds of people running alongside a moving US Air Force C-17A transport plane taxiing toward the runway; some people could be seen clinging onto the aircraft, just below the wing. Others were running alongside "waving and shouting". At least two people, in an apparent attempt to stowaway, were reportedly shown to "fall from the undercarriage immediately after takeoff". Another body was later found in the landing gear of the C-17. One of the victims was identified as Zaki Anwari, who had played for Afghanistan's national youth football team. Three bodies, including that of a woman, were also found on the ground outside near the passenger terminal building, but their cause of death was unclear, though some observers speculated they may have died during a stampede. Seven people were eventually confirmed to have died during this stage-including two armed men shot after firing at US soldiers, according to the US Department of Defense (DOD). The soldiers were not injured, and the gunmen were not identified.

At least 22 Afghan Air Force planes and 24 helicopters carrying 585 Afghan military personnel and their relatives had fled to Uzbekistan. One Afghan Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano crashed after crossing the border, with Uzbek authorities issuing conflicting reports on the cause. Two Afghan military planes carrying over 100 soldiers also landed in the Tajikistan city of Bokhtar.

About 8:30 p.m. local time, reports emerged that the US embassy was taking fire. The embassy issued a declaration instructing US citizens in the area to shelter in place. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the embassy would be relocated to the airport as the DOD had taken over security and air traffic control there. Various other nations had announced plans to evacuate their embassies, including Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Denmark. The German government announced that it was sending A400M Atlas aircraft with a contingent of paratroopers for evacuations, adding it would not seek the required parliamentary approval for the operation until after the mission was complete. The Italian government was reported to have transferred its embassy staff as well as the families of 30 Afghan employees to Kabul airport under Carabinieri guard to prepare for evacuation. India was reported to have had C-17 transport planes prepared to evacuate Indian diplomatic staff, but had anticipated that it would take longer for the Taliban to capture Kabul. One group of Indian diplomats were escorted to the airport by the Taliban after negotiating the escort after having had their passage out of the Indian embassy blocked several times by the group. Albania said it had accepted a US request to serve as a transit hub for evacuees.

The Philippine government ordered the mandatory evacuation of Filipino nationals in Afghanistan through the auspices of the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Philippines Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan (which is accredited to Afghanistan). Of the 173 Filipino nationals there, 78 agreed to accept the government's repatriation efforts while some accepted help from their companies. The Philippine government also agreed to accept refugees from Afghanistan.

A flight by Emirates Airlines to Kabul was diverted and later returned to Dubai, and United Arab Emirates airline Flydubai announced that it would suspend flights to Kabul on 16 August. By 16 August, most other airlines had also announced suspension of flights to Kabul. The Afghanistan Civil Aviation Authority announced that it had released Kabul airspace to the military and warned that "any transit through Kabul airspace will be uncontrolled".

The US Department of Defense confirmed on 16 August that General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., commander of United States Central Command, had met with Taliban leaders in Qatar to secure an agreement. The Taliban reportedly agreed to allow American evacuation flights at Kabul Airport to proceed without hindrance. International airlifts of evacuees had resumed by 17 August following a temporary halt to clear the runway of civilians as the US military confirmed the airport was open for all military flights and limited commercial flights. Pentagon officials added that evacuation efforts were expected to be expedited and were scheduled to continue until 31 August.

Al Jazeera, relaying tracking of flight data posts on Twitter, said that between 15 and 16 August, at least 170 military flights flew from countries including the United States (128); the United Kingdom (12); France (6); Canada (5); Germany (4); Italy (3); Australia (3); India (2); Austria (1); Belgium (1); Denmark (1); Netherlands (1); Sweden (1); Spain (1); and Turkey (1).

A photograph of over 800 refugees packed into an American C-17 taking off from Kabul was widely shared on social media. French newspaper stated that the photo had become "a symbol of the escape from the Taliban". Another video went viral on 17 August, where a man attempting to escape the country recorded himself and others clinging onto a C-17 military aircraft. A photograph of a US soldier clutching the furled US embassy flag during the evacuations emerged and was circulated by media outlets.

On 17 August, the United States Department of State and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan challenged reports of Afghans and Americans being unable to reach the airport. Sullivan told reporters that the Taliban were prepared to "provide the safe passage of civilians to the airport, and we intend to hold them to that commitment" while affirming that the withdrawal deadline remained 31 August. Sullivan acknowledged reports of the Taliban physically preventing people from evacuating, but said "By and large, what we have found is that people have been able to get to the airport."

On 18 August, it was reported that an Afghan interpreter who had worked for the Australian military had been shot in the leg by the Taliban as he crossed a checkpoint leading to the airport. That same day, it was further reported that the first Australian evacuation flight had departed the airport with only 26 people on board, despite having capacity for over 120. The first German evacuation flight the day prior had also transported a low number of evacuees, taking off with only 7 on board. The Malaysian High Commission in India (which is accredited to Afghanistan) confirmed it had helped a Malaysian citizen return home earlier in the month. It also confirmed that two other Malaysian nationals working for an international relief organisation had opted to remain in Kabul. The High Commission urged remaining Malaysian citizens to register with them for repatriation.

On 19 August, UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace stated that the evacuation flights could not take unaccompanied children after a number of videos posted to social media showed desperate families attempting to convince NATO soldiers to take their children to safety. The Guardian reported that the British government had informed the 125 Afghan guards who had been guarding the British embassy in Kabul that they would not be offered asylum in the UK because they were hired by the private security firm GardaWorld. In contrast, GardaWorld guards of the US embassy had already been evacuated. That evening, the Finnish government announced it was preparing to send troops to the airport to assist in the evacuations, with around 60 Finnish citizens still stuck in Kabul. French newspaper Libération obtained a confidential United Nations report that found the Taliban had priority lists of individuals to arrest and were also targeting the families of people who had worked with the Afghan government and NATO.

By 20 August, it was reported that French special forces had rescued 400 civilians from Kabul, including French nationals and Afghan citizens that had aided French forces during the war. British special forces were also reportedly active during the evacuation. On 20 August, it was reported that the National Directorate of Security's 01 Unit was working alongside NATO forces in the airlift as its members refused to surrender to the Taliban. They were scheduled to be airlifted once American troops withdraw.

On 21 August, Reuters reported that the World Bank's Kabul-based staff and their immediate families were safely evacuated among 350 people aboard a special Pakistan International Airlines flight to Islamabad. The Indian Express reported that the Taliban had blocked 72 Afghan Sikhs and Hindus from boarding an Indian Air Force evacuation flight. Kim Sengupta of The Independent reported that at least four women were crushed to death in a rush on a narrow road leading to the airport. By the afternoon, the US government was advising American citizens not to travel to the airport because of potential risks. On the same day, Indonesia evacuated 26 of its nationals, along with five Filipinos and two Afghan nationals using the Indonesian Air Force Boeing 737-400 with a number of soldiers of the Koopssus TNI.

On 22 August, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation revealed that the Australian government had denied visas to over 100 Afghans who had worked as security guards for the Australian embassy. That evening, Lloyd Austin, United States Secretary of Defense, ordered the activation of the American Civil Reserve Air Fleet to aid in the evacuations, only the third time in history that the fleet had been activated. By the end of the day, at least 28,000 people had been officially evacuated from Kabul and 13 countries had agreed to temporarily host Afghan refugees awaiting clearance for resettlement in the US, but tens of thousands more foreign nationals and at-risk Afghans remained stuck in Kabul. Also on 22 August, the Dutch defence ministry announced that it was deploying more troops to Afghanistan to assist the 62 Dutch special forces personnel at Kabul Airport, where they were operating two C-130 military planes for evacuations. According to Defence Minister Sigrid Kaag, over 700 Dutch citizens in Afghanistan were still waiting to be evacuated, adding that at-risk Afghans that managed to be evacuated could be eligible for asylum. The Dutch embassy's 207 staffers and their families had evacuated to the Netherlands days prior.

According to Der Spiegel, on the night of 22 August, nine German KSK special forces operators code named "Blue Light" rescued a Munich family of three from a rendezvous point at a gate outside of Kabul Airport. The family had previously contacted Germany's Federal Foreign Office after several failed attempts to enter the north gate at the airport, but the office initially rejected the mother's evacuation due to her not being German citizen, before reversing the position.

Over a few days in August, the Royal Australian Air Force completed five evacuation flights, with the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) completing another before 23 August.

On 23 August, the British government stated that it would not continue evacuations after American forces withdrew from the airport; however, the government would be asking the Americans not to withdraw at the end of the month in an emergency G7 meeting. The Taliban indicated that they would be unwilling to extend the 31 August deadline for American withdrawal. Around 7 a.m. local time, one Afghan guard was killed and three wounded in a firefight between Afghan, American, and German troops and unidentified attackers. Ireland approved the deployment of a small special forces team from the Army Ranger Wing and Irish diplomats to Kabul Airport in order to evacuate Irish citizens. The Canadian government officially confirmed that Canadian special forces had launched operations outside of the airport to help evacuate people. US president Biden said that thus far the Taliban had kept their promises and had not taken any action against US forces controlling Kabul Airport. Meanwhile, CIA Director William Burns held a secret meeting in Kabul with Taliban leader Abdul Ghani Baradar, who had returned to Afghanistan from exile in Qatar to discuss the 31 August withdrawal deadline.

Also on 23 August, reported that since 14 August, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) evacuated 1,400 people from Kabul which included diplomats, foreign media and Afghan journalists and staff of international organizations. European Union (EU) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) also requested Pakistani authorities to help evacuate their employees and their families in Afghanistan. EU officials sought urgent evacuation of at least 420 people while ADB requested evacuation of 290 people. By this time PIA was the only commercial airline that was still operating flights to and from Kabul.

The US Department of Defense reported that 21,600 people had been evacuated from Kabul Airport in the preceding 24 hours, reflecting a significant increase in the speed of evacuations ahead of the 31 August withdrawal deadline. The total number of persons evacuated from Afghanistan via the airport in the preceding ten days was 70,700. Several hundred US military personnel in support roles who were deemed nonessential had withdrawn in the preceding days, while 5,800 US Army soldiers and US Marines remained to guard the airport. Among the US forces protecting the airport was the 82nd Airborne Division headquarters element; 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division; 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines; 1st Battalion, 8th Marines; 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division; 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division; HHB, 1st Battalion, 101st Field Artillery Regiment, Massachusetts Army National Guard and 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 194th Armor Regiment, Minnesota Army National Guard.

By 24 August, six Fijian United Nations workers had been evacuated with the assistance of Australian forces. South Korea airlifted 380 Afghans who had "worked at the Korean Embassy or hospitals and job training centers run by Korean engineering and reconstruction forces."

On 24 August, Yevhen Yenin, the Ukrainian deputy minister for foreign affairs, claimed that an evacuation flight had been hijacked and flown to Iran; however, both the Iranian and Ukrainian governments denied that such an event had occurred. That day, two American congressmen, Seth Moulton and Peter Meijer, attracted criticism after flying into Kabul on a military charter plane and staying in the airport for a few hours on an alleged fact-finding mission before flying back out on another charter plane.

On 26 August, it was reported that US officials in Kabul gave the Taliban a list of names of American citizens, green card holders, and Afghan allies to grant entry into the airport for evacuation. President Biden stated that the "bulk of the group" had been allowed into the airport by the Taliban, but he could not say with "certitude" whether there was a list of names passed to the Taliban. Meanwhile, Canada announced that it was ending its Afghanistan evacuation mission, leaving unknown numbers of Canadian and Afghan allies stranded. Australia, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Poland also announced the end of their evacuations on this day.

Also on 26 August, the first convoy of 225 Turkish soldiers and 120 Azerbaijani soldiers returned to Turkey. And it was announced that 1,129 civilian were evacuated in total. A further 12,500 people were evacuated from Afghanistan in general.

Suicide attack

On 26 August, an explosion occurred outside the Abbey Gate of Hamid Karzai International Airport. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant - Khorasan Province (ISIL-K) claimed responsibility for the attack. ISIL-K is a sworn enemy of both the United States and the Taliban. The attack was perpetrated by a suicide bomber, who detonated a 25-pound explosive vest hidden under clothing, close to a group of US military personnel who were performing security screenings of Afghans hoping to enter the airport.

According to local health officials, at least 170 people were killed, and another 150 others were wounded in the attack. The bombing was carried out at the airport gate. The majority of those killed were Afghan civilians, but 13 US military personnel (11 Marines, one Army soldier, and one Navy corpsman) and 2 British nationals were also among the dead. A Taliban official said that 28 Taliban members were killed in the attack, but a Taliban spokesman later denied that any of their fighters had been killed. The wounded included many Afghans and 18 American troops. The wounded Americans were medically evacuated to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center near Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

The bombing disrupted evacuation efforts, although flights resumed soon afterward. General Frank McKenzie, the head of US Central Command, indicated that US officials were on alert for possible future ISIL-K attacks against the airport, possibly through rockets or car bombs; McKenzie said intelligence was being shared with the Taliban and "some attacks have been thwarted by" the Taliban.

After the airport attack, the US carried out a drone strike on an ISIL-K planner in Jalalabad, eastern Nangarhar province. The US Department of Defense reported that the airstrike killed the target and caused no civilian casualties.

On 27 August, Australia, France, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland announced the end of their evacuation flights. The last Italian Air Force flight completed the evacuation of 5,011 people, 4,890 of whom were Afghan citizens.

On 27 August, 120 Azerbaijani soldiers landed in Baku from Turkey. The second convoy of Turkish soldiers landed in Ankara, and Turkey announced that all Turkish military evacuations had been completed.

On 28 August, the United Kingdom concluded its evacuation of British civilians. At the peak of UK evacuation efforts, more than 1,000 British troops were in Kabul; by 28 August, some had already left. The British government later confirmed that all British soldiers, diplomats and other officials had left Afghanistan by the following day.

The same day, it was reported that the Taliban and Turkey had reached a draft agreement allowing Turkey to operate Kabul Airport after the departure of US forces, for a transitional period. Turkish officials had stated that the country would not help operate the airport unless it can deploy its own security forces to guard it.

On 29 August, the Associated Press reported that the Taliban had sealed off the airport as the US and its allies began concluding the airlift. The Taliban, meanwhile, insisted on taking over the security of Hamid Karzai International Airport themselves instead of Turkey, with spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid stating that their own special forces would guarantee its safety. However, 98 countries, including the United States, released a joint statement saying that they had received assurances from the Taliban that foreign nationals and Afghans would be allowed to leave the country.

The United States military conducted a drone strike against a vehicle it stated was believed to be carrying at least one ISIL-KP suicide bomber in Kabul, who was trying to reach Kabul airport to attack it. The attack set off the explosives inside the vehicle, killing three children in a nearby building, according to Afghan officials. It was subsequently reported that the target was not a militant, but civilians. A relative of the deceased told CNN that nine people belonging to the same family, including six children, were killed due to the airstrike. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid criticised the United States for conducting the strike instead of informing the group about the attackers beforehand, and said that seven civilians had been killed due to the strike.

Relatives later stated that 10 people who lived in the building next to the target vehicle were killed, including seven children. Some of those killed had previously worked for international organisations and held visas allowing them US entry. US officials said that there had been a number of "substantial and powerful subsequent explosions" following the drone strike indicating that the vehicle had been carrying explosives and they were investigating reports of civilian casualties. Relatives however denied any subsequent explosions had occurred and claimed the driver of the car was not affiliated with the group.

A United States official told Reuters that anti-missile defences had intercepted five rockets aimed at the Hamid Karzai International Airport. Pajhwok Afghan News reported that several rockets had struck Kabul. ISIL-K claimed responsibility for the attack.

That morning, the UN Security Council adopted a motion calling on the Taliban to let people freely leave Afghanistan. However, the motion did not include a proposal French President Emmanuel Macron had earlier floated about creating a UN safe zone in Kabul.

Later that evening, General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. announced that the United States had completed their evacuation from Afghanistan. Before departing, the American forces used thermite bombs to disable several remaining counter rocket, artillery, and mortar systems they had used to protect the airfield from incoming rockets fired by ISIS-K. In addition, the aircraft and vehicles at the airport were also disabled. The last two Americans to board an evacuation flight were acting Ambassador Ross Wilson, the top US diplomat in Afghanistan, and the final soldier to leave Afghanistan, Major General Chris Donahue, commanding general of the 82nd Airborne Division. The final flight, a US Air Force C-17, departed at 11:59 p.m. (Kabul time) on 30 August. The US phase of the Afghanistan conflict (1978-present), the 2001-2021 chapter that had begun with the 2001 invasion, had concluded.

In the early hours of 31 August (Kabul time), not long after the final American flight had left, the Taliban marched into the airport, firing their guns into the air in celebration and posing for pictures with abandoned NATO equipment. Taliban leaders, flanked by the Badri 313 Battalion, then entered the airport to hold a press conference declaring that "Afghanistan is finally free" and that they would shortly be announcing a new government.

Efforts to evacuate foreign nationals and at-risk Afghans continued after military forces concluded their withdrawals.

On 6 September 2021, the United States evacuated four American citizens (specifically, an Amarillo, Texas woman and her three children) from Afghanistan via an overland route, marking the first overland evacuation facilitated by the US Department of State since the military withdrawal. The Taliban was aware of the evacuation and did not make any effort to stop it.

On 9 September 2021, the first flight of foreigners out of Kabul since the US military withdrawal took place. A Qatar Airways charter flight left the Kabul airport en route to Doha, Qatar, carrying some 200 passengers, including Americans. A second such flight was scheduled for the following day.

On 11 October 2021, Aman Khalili, an Afghan interpreter who in 2008 had rescued then-Senators Joe Biden, Chuck Hagel, and John Kerry, was rescued along with his family. At the time Khalili's family was rescued by the Human First Coalition and the U.S. State Department, they were in Pakistan, having already left Afghanistan.

The UK Government's Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme to help Afghans fleeing the Taliban settle in the UK, which was announced in August 2021, opened in January 2022.

By October 26, 2021, the U.S. government reported 363 known American citizens remained in Afghanistan with only 176 wanting to leave. 240 had been evacuated though US government involvement, and 74 on private flights, with similar numbers for U.S. permanent residents.

The largest base handling the initial outflow of Afghan evacuees was Al Udeid Air Base outside Doha, Qatar, where evacuees were vetted against the National Counterterrorism Center's terrorist watch list.

The Ramstein Air Base, in Germany, the largest US Air Force base in Europe, was also a hub for processing Afghan evacuees who had assisted the US and its allies during the Afghan war. About a fifth of all evacuees from Kabul passed through Ramstein. The base has capacity for up to 12,000 evacuees. Evacuees went through medical screenings and were biometrically scanned. At least 30,000 hot meals were served daily; evacuees were housed in aircraft hangars and military tents. By 22 August, about 7,000 people had landed at Ramstein, and about 6,500 remained at the base. Around 700 departed on four flights to the US on 23-24 August, and by 25 August that number increased to around 800. As of 31 August, a total of 11,700 people had been flown from Ramstein to the United States or another safe location.

DOD established temporary housing at military bases in Virginia, Texas, Wisconsin and New Jersey for Afghan refugees. Temporary refugee accommodation was set up at Fort Lee (Virginia), Fort Bliss (Texas), Fort Dix (New Jersey), and Fort McCoy (Wisconsin), with a total capacity for 25,000 people. Fort Lee was the first to receive Operation Allied Refuge evacuees, with 221 arriving at the fort on 30 July. Fort Pickett (Virginia) was also a site for temporary Afghan refugee accommodation.

On 13 August 2021, the Canadian Government announced it would resettle an additional 20,000 vulnerable Afghans such as women leaders, human rights workers and journalists. This was in addition to an earlier initiative to resettle thousands of Afghans who had worked for the Canadian Government, such as interpreters and embassy employees, as well as their families. By March 2022, Canada resettled 8,580 Afghan refugees.

On 17 August 2021, the United Kingdom Government announced a new resettlement programme that aims to resettle 20,000 Afghan refugees over a five-year period in the UK.

On 23 August, the first flight of Afghan evacuees had arrived in New Zealand on a RNZAF Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft. By 26 August, the New Zealand Defence Force had evacuated 370 people from Afghanistan, which included an unspecified number of New Zealand, Australian, and Afghan passport holders. By 28 August, the evacuees were transferred to the United Arab Emirates while awaiting travel to New Zealand.

On 11 October, the United Kingdom offered resettlement visas to the Afghan Women's Development Team of football players. The 35 players had fled to Pakistan following the Taliban takeover.

As of 27 August, Pakistan has helped to evacuate more than 7,000 foreigners from Afghanistan through air and land routes since the fall of Kabul. By 27 August, more than 113 military and commercial flights have landed in Pakistan. Dawn reported that around 400 special flights carrying Afghan nationals and foreigners from Kabul have departed from and arrived in Islamabad. On 27 August 2021, Pakistan's Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed announced that the Pakistan government has decided to offer 21 days transit visas to the evacuees.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte thanked Pakistan for its support and facilitation in evacuation of stranded people from Afghanistan. Germany's Ambassador to Pakistan Bernhard Schlagheck thanked Pakistani authorities for the cooperation at Islamabad International Airport.

International Monetary Fund's Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and Asian Development Bank's President Masatsugu Asakawa praised Pakistan's efforts in evacuating the respective financial institution's personnel and their families from Afghanistan. European Council President Charles Michel in a telephonic conversation with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan also thanked him for evacuating European nationals working for different international organisations in Afghanistan. David Beasley, Executive Director of the UN's World Food Programme (WFP), lauded Pakistan's support for repairing WFP's damaged planes returning from Kabul and establishing a "humanitarian airbridge".

Former UK Chief of the General Staff Richard Dannatt stated that the British government had been aware of the need to evacuate vulnerable Afghans for several years and that "it would appear that the government was asleep on watch." The UK Foreign Office group charged with organising the evacuations was revealed to have left over 5000 email messages unread throughout the last week of the evacuations, including many that contained important information of cases of vulnerable Afghans.

The evacuation of Pen Farthing and his Nowzad Dogs charity came under particular scrutiny in the UK. Visas for 68 people, including the staff of the charity and their immediate family members, had originally been granted on 23 August, but Farthing chose not to leave immediately. Permission for the charity's animals (173 dogs and cats) to be airlifted was granted two days later, but they were blocked from entering the airport on 26 August, and then on 27 August, the Afghan staff of the charity were blocked from boarding the evacuation flight. Farthing left Afghanistan along with the animals, but not his staff, on 28 August. Some journalists criticized this prioritizing animals over people as racist, and damaging to Westerners' reputation among local people.

On 28 August, a group of Afghans who had worked as security guards at the Finnish embassy in Kabul organised a protest over being left behind in Afghanistan.

Airbnb announced it would provide free temporary housing for 20,000 Afghan refugees in their destination communities.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Large-scale evacuations of foreign citizens and some vulnerable Afghan citizens took place amid the withdrawal of US and NATO forces at the end of the 2001-2021 war in Afghanistan. The Taliban took control of Kabul and declared victory on 15 August 2021, and the NATO-backed Islamic Republic of Afghanistan collapsed.

# data[].attributes.body
-The Afghan Language may be impacted, by being lost from speaking it in the US, or possibly spreading the language. In the most likely case, they will eventually lose the language, as their kids grow up, they will forget their mother tongue.
-The Afghan history might also be forgotten, not completely forgotten because we have the history, but the ideal local history the Afghans remember it as might be lost. And that is a history in itself.
-The Afghan culture was and will also be affected, just like the language

-Impacting the other country’s culture. For example in the US, instead of the language or culture being lost, they could spread it.
-New combined cultures, of different cultures combined of Afghanistan and other cultures could arise.

# data[].attributes.body
-The immigrants might eat more food from their new countries, create more waste, hunt animals, etc. Basically, although this isn’t completely changing the country’s ecosystem, they affected at least a little bit with more population.
-The increased population of Afghan immigrants in the US will contribute to higher energy consumption. More households will require energy for heating, cooling, and electricity, leading to increased demand for local energy resources and infrastructure.
-The settlement of Afghan refugees may require the construction or renovation of housing units to accommodate their needs. This can lead to increased urban development, including the use of land, construction materials, and energy resources for housing projects.
-With the settlement of Afghan refugees, there will be an increase in waste generation from households, businesses, and public facilities.
-Aghan refugees being integrated into US society probably need transportation for goinging to work, accessing educational institutions, and participating in social activities. More transportation demands can contribute to increased fuel consumption, traffic congestion, and emissions, unless sustainable transportation options are adopted.

# data[].attributes.body
Settlement Activity
-Afghan refugees who arrived in the US would have undergone the physical settlement of finding a home to live in. The US government, local citizens, and NGOs have helped in the past.
-The process of finding employment and establishing a livelihood in the US. Afghan refugees would have looked for job opportunities, attended interviews, and started working in various sectors of the economy.
-Some would go back, most likely for family, economic, or patriotic reasons. I personally wouldn't go back, instead try to (if my familiy is in Afghanistan) get them US citizenship.

Choice
-The choice to move to Pakistan and Iran for most refugees. -My example will cover the US airlift immigration, but I still want to mention that over 90% of Afghan immigrants went to Pakistan and Iran, which are the two closest countries to Afghanistan.
-For the immigrants who moved to the US, they were lucky, so it wasn't really a choice. But regardless, now that they're at the US, and they have been registered, had healthcare, etc, they will now be integrated into the US society.
-They now have a near infinite amount of choice, but they would probably find a job, and try to build a new life.

Incentive
-As the US military pulled out of Afghanistan, there was no more major war (except for localized skirmishes). So technically, even though the economy is very unstable in Afghanistan, it is much safer now, unless the Taliban or others think you helped the US. Then you might die. So if the conditions in Pakistan or Iran are really bad, they might consider going back to Afghanistan (or forced to), which then they might be able to get a job, such as farmers of all sorts, in agriculture and livestock.

-For the US immigrants, they might be able to get US citizenship, because the US will most likely provide it to them. If they don’t, bad public press. So for Afghan migrants, even though they will have to live a completely new life, why would they give up a chance where they could get a job that is probably 100% better than the jobs they have in Afghanistan? (I want to mention that many Afghan refugees had a lot of talent, and they could rebuild a life in the US).
-As already mentioned, the Afghan refugees would now build a life, and try to live a peaceful life.
-They would have the incentive to move into, and life in the US as citizens, because of the economic opportunities, and the provided safety (at least more than Afghanistan).

Costs
-They lost a lot of time and money (possibly all their money) moving to a different country.
-Then they sometimes have to move back, which is sometimes losing even more money, friends, and family.
-Basically, moving between countries had a lot of costs.
-But for the people moving to the US, they didn't really have major costs for moving to the US, after mentioning all the stuff I mentioned in the middle and origin. (psychological, loss of family, etc)

Benefits
-For the people in the US, the benefits are economical, and they have safety, safer than when they were in  Afghanistan.
-For people who decided to stay, if the situation in Afghanistan is worse than the situation in their new country, people in the US, it might be a benefit for them.
-As Afghanistan has one of the worst humanitarian disasters happening right now, it is probably better to live in a different country.
-Many, especially younger people, are provided the opportunity to get educated. For those who are worthy, they will be granted (they have to pay themselves) good higher education.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Resources being offered at Fort Bliss to help Afghan migrants integrate into U.S.

# data[].attributes.body
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghan_conflict
-This wikipedia page has a really in-depth explanation of the whole situation. Check this out if you want.
-As a general background, the Afghanistan war that we hear about is caused by historical events, such as: part of the cold war, and war on terror. There were series of war since 1970s
-approximately  1,405,111–2,584,468 deaths in total
-After 911 and the George Bush speech, it was clear that US wasn’t going to stop chasing those who were most likely responsible for 911. When the Taliban didn’t turn over Osama Bin Laden, the US invaded Afghanistan. Then. War.
-In 2021, because of the contract between us and Afghanistan, the US pulled out of Afghanistan, and they took 122000 people with them in total.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
2001 Invasion of Afghanistan | Animated History

# data[].attributes.body
-Most refugees, about 85%, migrated to Pakistan and Iran as the Afghanistan War started.
-Both countries shared a border with Afghanistan.
-Pakistan positively accepts Afghan refugees and invests a lot of money in them (relatively).
-Like Pakistan, Iran also accepted and helped Afghan refugees.
-This led to issues dealing with the influx of refugees from Pakistan and Iran.
-Pakistan provided weapons, supplies, training, and bases to operate in for the mujahideen.
-Iran helped revive the Afghanistan economy
-To summarize, Pakistan and Iran were highly affected by Afghan migrants, and they have a (depends on the perspective) good relations with Afghanistan.

# data[].attributes.body
-The arrival of Afghan refugees enriches the cultural diversity of the US. They bring their own languages, customs, traditions, and art forms, contributing to a more vibrant and diverse cultural landscape. Their presence fosters cross-cultural interactions and exchanges, promoting mutual understanding and appreciation among different communities. But racism may also take a part in this, where discrimination against Afghan people may arise (according to the history of the US, people don't like refugees)
-Afghan refugees introduced their native languages to their host communities, adding diversity linguistically. This can create opportunities for language learning and cultural exchange, especially for the citizens in the US.
-Afghan refugees often bring their culinary traditions and cuisine to the US. This introduces new flavors, ingredients, and cooking techniques, offering Americans the chance to experience and appreciate Afghan cuisine. It usually never hurts to have more diverse food in a country.
-There are Afghan refugee community centers, organizations, and events to preserve their cultural heritage and foster a sense of belonging. These community initiatives can create opportunities for cultural celebrations, performances, storytelling, and educational programs, allowing Americans to learn more about Afghan traditions and history. Some citizens in the US and organizations helped build these centers, as shown in the DX Newsela article.

# data[].attributes.body
-The process of airlifting refugees involves significant carbon emissions due to air travel, which contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. But it's technically not significant, to the point it will bring down the tipping point to 2030.
-The settlement of Afghan refugees requires the development of infrastructure and the allocation of resources, such as housing, water supply systems, sanitation facilities, electricity, and transportation networks. The construction and maintenance of such infrastructure can have environmental consequences, including land use changes, energy consumption, and potential habitat disruption.
-The resettlement process generates waste from various sources such as food packaging, shelter materials, and personal belongings. I would guess that there was a lot of trash generated from all the packing and etc, but it wouldn't be extremely significant to the world's pollution. But we should still use other renewable plastic-like material.
-The increased population resulting from the settlement of Afghan refugees may put additional demands on water and energy resources.
-The establishment of settlements and infrastructure may require the use of land, potentially impacting local ecosystems and biodiversity. Although many people in facilities are in a pre-built facility, it is still going to leave a footprint beacuse they used the facility, which can also mean that they will at least do small damages to land nearby.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
This was one of the military bases Afghan refugees were camped. 

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-KDXJeto7Y
Video of refugees in Fort Bliss

-The US government collaborated with military personnel and other agencies to conduct a massive airlift evacuation of Afghan refugees. The refugees were camped in military bases and processing centers, like Fort Bliss (a military base), to provide them with initial shelter, food, and medical care.
-Afghan refugees underwent processing and documentation procedures to establish their identities, conduct security screenings, and initiate the immigration and resettlement process.
-As mentioned before, the US government helped out the refugees. Additionally, many US citizens and organizations also raised money and volunteered to help out, provided in the 2 Newsela posts on DX.

Cost
The Perspective of Refugees:
-Moving to the US can be emotionally challenging. Some left their homes, and familiar surroundings, and feel displacement, loss, and uncertainty.
-Not everyone was airlifted. So many people had to leave behind their families and loved ones, which could cause emotional distress and uncertainty about their well-being.
-Afghan refugees need to adapt to a new cultural environment, language, customs, and social norms. This can be overwhelming and require significant adjustment.
-The difference in language creates a barrier in communication and integration, which makes refugees access services, find employment, and engage with the local community difficult.
-Afghan refugees may face uncertainty regarding their legal status, the duration of their stay, and their ability to rebuild their lives in a new country.

The perspective of US governments and Military Base:
-The US government spent financial costs for airlift evacuation and settlement of Afghan refugees, which are: transportation expenses, accommodation in military bases, provision of basic necessities, medical care, and support services.
-Processing and documenting a large number of refugees require significant administrative efforts and resources.
-The US government, local communities, and organizations invested in providing integration services, language classes, cultural orientation programs, vocational training, educational opportunities, healthcare, and social support, to Afghan refugees.
-The sudden influx of Afghan refugees can strain resources such as housing, healthcare facilities, educational institutions, and social services.
-The US government must also consider security concerns related to the settlement of Afghan refugees, ensuring proper vetting procedures and implementing measures to safeguard national security and public safety.

Benefits
The Perspective of Refugees
-Moving to the US provides Afghan refugees with a safe haven away from the conflict and threats they faced in Afghanistan. They no longer have to worry about the Taliban or other armed groups that posed a risk to their lives and well-being, especially for those who helped the US, or are accused of doing so.
-The resettlement in the US ensures that Afghan refugees have access to essential needs such as shelter, food, and medical care.
-Many organizations and individuals in the US dedicated a lot of time and effort to provide assistance to refugees. This helped alleviate their immediate needs and provides a safety net during the resettlement process.
-Settlement activities in the US (also often a lot of different countries) often prioritize education for refugees. Afghan refugees now have the opportunity to access educational resources, enroll in schools, and possibly pursue higher education. Education empowers individuals and can contribute to their future economic prospects and the rebuilding of Afghanistan.
-Afghan refugees with healthcare needs can access healthcare services provided by the US government or refugee charity NGOs (the Newsela examples on DX). This ensures their physical well-being and addresses any medical conditions they may have developed or carried from Afghanistan. Though, unlike Pakistan or Iran, the airlift took most of the pain of traveling to a different country away. So they wouldn't actually need as much help as other country refugees.

The Perspective of Government and Military Base
-By airlifting and resettling Afghan refugees, the US government fulfills its moral and humanitarian responsibility to protect vulnerable individuals and provide them with a safe environment, and also possibly heavily due to press pressure, and the fact that they can't send any refugees back to Afghanistan, again, due to press reviews.
-Afghan refugees can bring valuable skills, knowledge, and experience to their host country. They can work on manual labor, address skill shortages in certain sectors, and contribute to economic growth and development in the long run. Many people who were airlifted can actually have a lot of talent. This could be valuable for the US economically and educationally.
-The settlement of Afghan refugees enhances cultural diversity within the US because of the introduction of new languages, customs, traditions, art, and cuisine, promoting cross-cultural understanding, appreciation, and tolerance within society.

# data[].attributes.location_name
Kabul International Airport, Kabul, Afghanistan

# data[].attributes.headline
Settlement Activity - Costs and Benefits, Choices, Incentives

# data[].attributes.subject
Settlement Activity - Costs and Benefits, Choices, Incentives

# data[].attributes.body
Settlement Activity
-Most refugees that came to the US were staying in military bases. The bases provided the refugees with food, and shelter (enough to survive, but not anything fancy).
-Other migrants who weren’t so lucky to be airlifted, were mostly going to Iran and Pakistan. About 85% of the total
migrants were staying there.
Also, many people are still living in hotels.
-Afghanistan was at war for 30 years.

-Technically speaking, Afghanistan was in constant war since 500 Ad. So many kingdoms fell, and so many people died, so many wars happened. During these times, millions of people have fled Afghanistan and many settlements happened. There is WAYY too many wars that happened for me to explain them all here. This is why Afghanistan is called the graveyard of empires.

Explicit Benefits
-They are safe, they don’t have to worry about the Taliban or other armed groups. They were even mostly staying in military bases, with pretty good food. (that is debatable)
-Access to basic needs, which would be improved moving to a different country
-Humanitarian assistance, a lot of organizations were coming to help. Oftentimes, there wasn't actually enough support for this assistance to really help everyone. But this support was still better than having non.
-Education, oftentimes, settlement activities encourage refugees to get educated, mostly because they could empower the country's economy in the future.
-Access to healthcare, usually refugees with healthcare needs get healthcare, which is provided by the country or refugee charity NGOs.

Implicit Benefits
-Economic contribution to moving countries, refugees can bring valuable skills, knowledge, and experience to their host country. They can fill labor gaps and address skill shortages in certain sectors, promoting economic growth and development.
-Cultural diversity, the settlement activity in other countries can enhance cultural diversity with new languages, customs, traditions, art, and cuisine. It will promote cross-cultural understanding, appreciation, and tolerance, and foster a more inclusive and vibrant society.
-innovation and entrepreneurship, refugees moving to a new country often develop resilience, resourcefulness, willpower, and entrepreneurship to survive. These factors can be useful in the host country's economy if the refugees participate in their economy.
-The global press for the host country, helping refugees is good for how the world views the country. This can lead to better relations with other countries, economic development, and getting help from other countries willing to help the host country.
-Although this was already covered, Afghan refugees can bring special skills and talents that could help the host country's economy.
-The Afghan refugees can develop skills, experience, or/and education, amplified by the harsh conditions they had to live through and survive. When they return to Afghanistan or stay in the host country, they can help develop the economy.

Explicit Costs
-Housing; Providing housing can cost a lot of amounts of money and resource for the host country.
-Infrastructure; developing the necessary infrastructure for the refugees to live in a more humane condition. These can be water supply systems, sanitation facilities, and electricity, which can cost a lot of money, especially on a large scale.
-Healthcare; Ensuring healthcare would also require a lot of money and resources from the host country. Healthcare is more costly and important than others, so this is going to cost a lot of money too. (not to mention that a lot of people may have gone sick because of their trip to the host country, or disease spreading within the poorly conditioned camps)
-Education, Employment, and vocational training; The education is self-explanatory, with repeating economic costs. For employment and vocational training, it may cost a lot of resources to help Afghan refugees find jobs and train them.
-Legal and administrative procedures; Afghan refugees who are migrating to a new country may oftentimes want to stay in that country, especially since Afghanistan is the safe haven for illegal danger. With its poor economy and danger, people would often want to stay in the host country. This would cost a lot of money from the host country. For the people airlifted into the US, which I will mostly talk about in the middle and end, the US has invested a lot of money to allow citizenship for the Afghan refugees airlifted into the US. But as mentioned in the benefits, the country may develop its economy after the admission of citizenship.
-Language and cultural integration; Supporting

Implicit Costs
-Social integration, for people who migrates into a new country, probably need to adapt to the new language, and new cultures, and establish new social networks. This can be emotionally, psychologically, and physically challenging for some people.
-Economic disruption and migration can impose implicit costs on the host country's economy, not to mention that the Afghanistan Economy is ruined. The sudden influx of refugees will put a lot of demand on humanitarian needs, food, healthcare, educational facilities, and many more. This can cause economic burdens and force adjustments in the host countries.
-some people will have to leave their families behind for the people who were flying to the US. Only approximately 80000-120000 people were able to fly to the US. Everyone else was left behind to flee (as mentioned, mostly to Pakistan or Iran).
-Opportunity costs, implicit costs may arise from the lost opportunities for refugees, and the host country's potential investment in something other than the settlement of Afghans.
-Security concerns; settlement activities involving refugees can relate to security concerns and may raise implicit costs as the local authorities need to allocate more resources for ensuring the safety of the refugees, and technically, the safety of the country as well, in case Afghanistan decides to invade the host country.
-Psychological trauma; Another implicit cost is the psychological trauma that Afghan refugees have to experience. They may have fled the country, leaving behind economic possessions, valuables, and family. They may have also experienced extreme cruelty, in such inhumane conditions, and possible war actions they witnessed. These may result in refugees needing mental health support.

Choice:
-The Afghan refugees did not have much choice.
-Some fled to other countries. Most people, 85% of people, fled to Pakistan or Iran.
-Some that were lucky were airlifted into the US.
-Some decided to stay.
-These were the choices, except for the US one where it was an opportunity only for those who were lucky.

Incentive:
-The conflict between Afghanistan and US, and all the corruption and armed conflict going on around the country let too many people have the incentive to be safe, often by moving to a different country.

-Some were worried they’d be harmed for helping US or the Taliban harming them.
-For the people that were moving to the US, they were most likely moving because of safety. But a secondary reason was most likely the new opportunities that were in the US, which were much better than Pakistan, Iran, or Afghanistan.

# data[].attributes.location_name
Kabul International Airport, Kabul, Afghanistan

# data[].attributes.body
-Of the people who immigrated to the US, many of them were exposed to many positive environmental impacts. For example, these:
-Living in the US, with humanitarian needs provided, is worth about $1.1 billion dollars in total.
-Many people were willing to help with medical and social issues. People were given a lot of care, from the government, but also from the charitable us citizens (who are “rich”)

-Environmental impact is what impacts humans make towards nature.

# data[].attributes.location_name
Kabul International Airport, Kabul, Afghanistan

# data[].attributes.body
-Diversity
-Food
-Language
-Religion
-Heightened awareness of Afghanistan's History.
-Possible cultural clashes between US citizens and Afghan refugees, such as cultural misunderstanding. Of course, this can happen in other countries like Pakistan and Iran too.

-Cultural impact is what humans impact culturally amongst other humans.