As the Taliban’s stranglehold on Afghanistan tightens by the day, advocates for Australia's former Afghan interpreters and staff say now is the government's last chance to get them out of the war-torn country safely.
The Australian government says it now only has dozens of outstanding visa applications from former Afghan employees and will work closely with the United States to bring them to safety.
It is also sending in 3,000 troops to Kabul airport to help with a partial evacuation of staff from the US embassy.Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday Australia was continuing to process visas for former locally engaged employees to get more of them out of the war-torn country. Asked by a reporter what his message was to Australians that served in Afghanistan only to see the Taliban make such rapid inroads, Mr Morrison replied:"Fighting for what you believe in is always worth it."
However, SBS News understands there are almost 300 former interpreters and staff of Australia’s closed Kabul embassy still waiting to apply for the visas. “It's really heartbreaking and concerning to know you still got your mates left behind there,” he told SBS News on Friday.
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