Canadian veterans group calls for government action after shooting death of Afghan girl

Aman Lara called the shooting death of Nazifa 'a stark reminder that paperwork obstacles have put thousands of Afghans, like Nazifa, in real peril.'

A Canadian veterans group urged the federal government Monday to send officials to Kabul to help resettle Afghan refugees after a 10-year-old girl was killed near a Taliban checkpoint.

Aman Lara said the shooting death of the girl, Nazifa, whose family was approved to come to Canada but lacked passports allowing them to leave Afghanistan, showed more had to be done.

“Approximately 50 percent of Afghans in the Aman Lara database who have been approved to come to Canada do not have the necessary documentation that would allow them to leave their country,” the group said.

“Only the Canadian government can resolve these issues by removing the barriers that put people like Nazifa and her family in danger.”

It called her death “a stark reminder that paperwork obstacles have put thousands of Afghans, like Nazifa, in real peril.”

In its statement, Aman Lara called on the government to deploy Canadian officials to Kabul to conduct biometric and security screening of applicants.

The government should also look for alternative ways of approving Afghans for resettlement “to quickly expedite those at highest risk,” it said.

In addition, Ottawa should fund safe houses so applicants facing risks will be protected while they wait to get out of the country, Aman Lara said.