The devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria has killed at least 20,000 people, including around 200 Afghan refugees.
Afghanistan diplomatic missions have reacted collectively to the deaths of Afghans in Turkey by issuing a statement, calling the Turkish authorities and humanitarian organisations to help those affected.
The statement said:
“We call on the relevant Turkish authorities and international humanitarian organizations, especially UNHCR, IOM, MSF, ICRC, and others on the ground, to extend appropriate urgent aid to the Afghan refugee victims of the disaster.”
The Afghan diplomatic missions, who operate outside Taliban control, appealed to the EU, the US and Canada “to help expedite the resettlement applications of Afghan refugees in Turkey, especially those of the families of the earthquake victims.”
“We remain concerned about the fate of the world’s most venerable refugee group: our suffering citizens, whom the well-founded fear of persecution in Afghanistan has forced out in search of protection abroad. So many of them have now tragically perished away from home and their loved ones.”
Human Rights Watch has also called on the EU to grant asylum to Afghan women.
