These Afghans supported Canada’s military mission. Now they have nowhere to go
Global News
Safe houses scattered across Kabul were organized by Canadian veterans and paid for with private donations. But money and time have just run out.
Hundreds of Afghans and their families who supported Canada’s military mission to Afghanistan have been forced to leave their Kabul safe houses, where they’ve been hiding for months, afraid they could be targeted by the Taliban.
The safe houses — apartments and hotel rooms scattered across the Afghan capital — were organized by Canadian veterans and paid for with private donations. But money and time have just run out.
“Today we have had to essentially evict everybody that we’ve been keeping in safe houses since July,” said Amanda Moddejonge, a Canadian veteran and volunteer with Aman Lara, the NGO managing the safe houses.
“These people potentially could be harmed very needlessly because our government is not moving fast enough to help them.”
Aman Lara and other veterans groups had previously raised $2 million through private donations. But after months sheltering and feeding around 2,000 Afghans, those funds have run out.
The group says it has no choice but to close the safe houses on Friday.
“We don’t know where we will go,” said Alauddin, whose last name we’re withholding because he used to work for the Canadian Forces.
Alauddin has received approval to move to Canada as a refugee but says his wife and some of his six children are still waiting for their applications to be processed.