First batch of Afghan evacuees arrive in Uganda

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The first batch of 51 Afghan evacuees arrived in the country this morning aboard a chartered flight, according to the Foreign Affairs Ministry. “The evacuees who included women, men and children underwent the necessary security screening as well as the mandatory COVID-19 testing and the required quarantine procedures,” reads a statement issued by the Ministry this morning.

According to the statement, Ugandans who were expected to use the same flight couldn’t make it because of the challenges in accessing Kabul airport. “Whereas it had been arranged for some Ugandans to travel on the above flight, due to challenges of accessing the airport in Kabul, they were unable to make it. Arrangements are being made to bring them in the subsequent flight,” the statement said.

The arrival of the evacuees is in line with the US government request to Uganda to temporarily host at-risk Afghan nationals and other nationals in transit to the US and other destinations worldwide following the fall of Kabul to the Taliban. According to earlier statements from the Foreign Affairs Ministry officials, the US government asked Uganda to host 2,000 refugees.

Full statement

STATEMENT: ARRIVAL OF EVACUEES FROM AFGHANISTAN IN UGANDA @KagutaMuseveni@UN @WhiteHouse @StateDept @GenJejeOdongo@USAmbUganda @usmissionuganda @okelloryem pic.twitter.com/iAyCkn5b4o

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Uganda 🇺🇬 (@UgandaMFA) August 25, 2021

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