IFJ receives over 2,000 applications from Afghan journalists for evacuation

PESHAWAR: The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has received over two thousand applications from Afghan journalists for safe evacuation from Afghanistan.

The IFJ has approached the Taliban government to arrange safe passage for Afghan journalists from Kabul airport.

AFJ Deputy Secretary-General Jeremy Dear, who is dealing with Afghan journalists’ affairs, told this correspondent from Brussels that they had already received over two thousand applications from Afghan media workers through over affiliated bodies.

“The IFJ has approached different European countries including Spain, North Macedonia, France, Mexico, Italy, Germany, the UK, the US, and Canada to issue visas and assist the evacuation of Afghan journalists, but no country is willing to adjust more than ten to fifteen journalists, while we are receiving applications on daily basis, the number of which is constantly increasing”, he said.

He said that the Taliban government was not allowing the journalists who hold foreign visas to leave Kabul due to which the IJF is helpless.

“We have contacted the Taliban leadership through our Afghan chapter to allow Afghan journalists a safe passage to leave Kabul,” he added.

“IFJ monitoring of the situation on the ground reveals panic and desperation amongst Afghanistan’s media community. We are concerned about the situation in Afghanistan and we hope that the Taliban will cooperate with us.

We are further concerned that if the flight operation is suspended then we will not be able to help our Afghan colleagues," Jeremy said.

According to documents, the IFJ secretary-general has approached different countries and requested them to assist and evacuate the journalist in danger during the crisis in Afghanistan.

The IFJ received positive responses from different countries to accommodate Afghan journalists but IFJ will bear transportation and subsistence, and accommodation costs.