2,000 Afghan journalists want to be evacuated: IFJ

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) says it has received evacuation applications from over 2,000 Afghan journalists.

The largest global body of journalists, IFJ said it had approached the Taliban to arrange safe passage for Afghan media workers from the Kabul airport.

AFJ Deputy Secretary-General Jeremy Dear told a Pakistani newspaper they had already received the applications from Afghan media workers through affiliated organisations.

Speaking to The News, he said: “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 with evacuation of Afghan journalists.”

However, he explained, no country was ready to accept more than 10-15 journalists. With applications received daily, he added the number was constantly rising.

According to Jeremy Dear, the Taliban were not allowing the journalists with foreign visas to leave Kabul, leaving the IJF helpless.

Dear 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,” he continued.

Receiving positive responses from different countries to accommodate Afghan journalists, IFJ is willing to bear transportation, subsistence and accommodation costs.