Canada pledges to resettle Afghans, citing rising Taliban threat

Immigration minister says “several thousand” Afghan interpreters and others would be arriving in Canada soon.

Canada plans to relocate Afghan interpreters and others as soon as possible in light of the rapidly concluding US military drawdown and a Taliban offensive.

On Friday, the United States condemned the Taliban’s targeted attacks on former interpreters and other Afghans as well as the destruction of infrastructure, calling on the Taliban to prevent their forces from carrying out the actions.

Canadian officials are identifying eligible Afghans, focusing on those who worked for Canada as interpreters or who provided “critical support”, embassy staff and their families, Mendicino said.

Canada’s combat mission in Afghanistan ended 10 years ago, after which the country resettled about 800 Afghans who had worked for Canada as interpreters or in other roles.

Many Afghans who worked with Canada and other NATO countries fear reprisals from the Taliban as US and NATO forces depart.