Russia will allow the resettlement of around 1,000 Afghan nationals following the Taliban's (terrorist group outlawed in Russia) sudden takeover of Afghanistan, an Afghan diaspora leader said.
Chairman of the Afghan Diaspora in Russia Ghulam Mohammad Jalal made the remarks as huge crowds remained outside Kabul airport, with thousands of Afghans hoping to flee the threat of reprisals and repression and Western forces rushing to meet an Aug. 31 evacuation deadline.
Russia has cleared entry for Afghans with Russian passports and work and residence permits as well as students at Russian universities, Jalal said.
“They have received approval, now they’re waiting in line to fly to Russia at the first technical opportunity when the airport is opened,” RIA Novosti cited him as saying as saying.
Jalal added that discussions are ongoing regarding Afghan graduates of Russian universities and relatives of those who have received clearance to ensure that militants disguised as refugees do not infiltrate their ranks. President Vladimir Putin warned of an influx of terrorists posing as asylum seekers from Afghanistan earlier this week.
“We’re also afraid of that,” the diaspora leader said. “Who knows who’ll be among these refugees, the main thing is that there are no undesirable persons among them.”
