1,250 Canadians Are Still Stranded In Afghanistan

 

Global Times: U.S. helps bring refugees to Canada, but 1,250 Canadians remain in Afghanistan 

Canada is accepting 5,000 Afghan refugees evacuated by the United States, federal officials said Tuesday as they work to rescue 1,250 Canadians stuck in the Taliban-ruled country. 

The deal comes as part of a new agreement reached with the U.S. in order to secure safe passage for Afghans fleeing the Islamist militant group, said Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino. 

They will be accepted as part of the government’s expanded 20,000 Afghan refugee program.  

Read more .... 

WNU Editor: As bad as the U.S. and other countries have handled the evacuation of their citizens and allies in Afghanistan, Canada's efforts have been a complete and dismal failure. 

More News On 1,250 Canadians Being Stranded In Afghanistan  

Canada says it knows of hundreds of citizens and permanent residents left in Afghanistan -- CBC  

Ottawa pins hopes on Kabul airport reopening as hundreds with links to Canada stuck -- CTV News/Canadian Press 

1,250 Canadians are stuck in Afghanistan. Ottawa has no good plan to rescue them -- Michael Higgins, National Post  

We still have people trapped in Kabul -- Toronto Sun editorial

Canadian Minister For Women And Gender Equality Calls The Taliban 'Our Brothers'

 

The Toronto SUN: Liberals' Maryam Monsef calls Taliban 'our brothers' 

The minister denied the reference was a softening of the government’s position on the 'terrorist group' 

While Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has made the point of calling the Taliban in Afghanistan a terrorist group, his minister for women and gender equality is calling the Taliban “our brothers.” 

Maryam Monsef made the comments while speaking on a call with other ministers regarding the evacuation efforts in Afghanistan.  

Read more ....  

Update: Trudeau minister raises eyebrows by calling Taliban 'our brothers' (FOX News)  

WNU Editor: As Minister for Women and Gender Equality she should know better. 

Even though she came to Canada from Iran when she was eleven, her excuse for calling the Taliban "our brothers" is that it is a cultural thing in Afghanistan. 

Talk about sending the wrong message at the wrong time to some of the worse people on the planet.

Canada Abandons Its Afghan Allies

After being advised to wear read so IRCC officials could identify him, a hopeful Afghan evacuee wears a Roots jacket that he had been given years earlier by a Canadian solider.  

Kevin Newman, The Line: The people we left behind at the gas station  

Despite claims of "miraculous" progress, we are still failing to evacuate our people from Afghanistan 

In the age-old tradition of large lumbering bureaucracies and armies and reporter stake-outs, this was an excruciating weekend of “hurry up and wait.” Their only shelter in the dusty and brutal Afghan sun was the red, white and blue canopy of a self-serve gas bar. Maybe 10 families who had completed the path to Canadian citizenship were told by government of Canada text to come to this spot late Friday with the promise of a Canadian Armed Forces flight waiting on the nearby airport tarmac. 

Each family included an average of 10 people — so make it a hundred — told it was time to leave for Canada. Others followed, and pretty soon there were 500 Afghans at the gas station hoping for rescue. Some in the huge crowd were told to wear red to identify themselves on a list Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) had compiled. One even wore a Roots Canada jacket a soldier had sent over to him years ago. But it didn’t matter. No one from Canada was there to meet them.  

Read more ....

WNU Editor: This is what I call a clusterf__k.

Canada Sending Special Forces To Evacuate Staff From Its Embassy In Kabul

The Canadian government is sending special forces to the Afghan city of Kabul to help evacuate staff from its embassy before it closes  

Daily Mail: Canada is sending special forces to EVACUATE staff from its embassy in Afghan city of Kabul as Taliban fighters advance on capital after US forces withdrew amid fears it'll fall within 30 days 

* Canadian special forces are deploying to the Afghan city of Kabul to help evacuate staff from the country's embassy before it closes 

* Soldiers are currently on standby to help with the evacuation 

* The soldiers are expected to work alongside their American and British allies who are deploying forces to partially evacuate their own embassies 

* At this time, the Canadian government has 'no intention of deploying a large conventional force' since both the U.S. and U.K. plan to do so 

Canadian government officials are sending special forces to the Afghan city of Kabul to help evacuate staff from its embassy before it closes. 

The dramatic move comes as the U.S. military's withdrawal from Afghanistan nears completion, with emboldened Taliban fighters taking over much of the country in their wake. 

The Taliban takeover is taking place at a stunning speed. 

They captured Kandahar, the second-largest city and the birthplace of the Taliban movement, on Thursday.  

Read more .... 

More News On Canada Sending Special Forces To Evacuate Staff From Its Embassy In Kabul  

Canadian special forces ready to evacuate embassy after Kandahar falls to the Taliban -- CBC  

Canada to send special forces to Afghanistan to close embassy in Kabul, official says -- CNBC/AP  

Canadian military preparing to evacuate Canadians from Afghanistan: sources -- Global News  

Canada to send special forces to Afghanistan to evacuate Kabul embassy amid Taliban advance, joining U.S., U.K. deployments -- Globe and Mail