Madrid 11 August : Spain has taken in 294 more Afghans in need of protection for nearly a year following the time when the last US soldiers left Afghanistan and a hardline Taliban government was erected.A plane carrying Afghans was spotted landing at the Torrejon de Ardoz air base close to Madrid late Wednesday night from the Pakistani capital Islamabad the Spanish government announced on Thursday.
The Afghans were welcomed by the Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares, reports the news agency dpa.
They were local employees who been employed with the Spanish military, the government and aid organizations.
After Western troops had left Afghanistan the country, they fled to neighboring Pakistan.
Family members of employees were among those who were transported to Spain.
The refugees were transported to a the reception centre in Torrejon de Ardoz, the first step towards a new beginning in Spain.
Spain has taken in 3,900 Afghans from Afghanistan according to official figures.
According to UNHCR, of the more than 6 million Afghans who were forcibly removed from their homes at the close of 2021, 3.5 million were displaced within the country, and 2.6 million were housed as refugees in 98 countries, making it one of the longest-running refugee crises in the world.
The majority of refugees from Afghanistan reside in Pakistan as well as Iran.
