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Slain Afghan interpreter’s family get emergency visa for US
The family of an Afghan man who was killed after helping U.S. troops has received emergency approval to move to the United States, lawyers and advocates for the family told Stars and Stripes.
According to Stripes, the man, known by the pseudonym Mohammad, worked for the U.S Embassy and military in Afghanistan for 12 years and is believed to have been killed by Taliban insurgents while waiting for a U.S. immigration visa.
His widow and six children continued to face threats after his murder and applied for humanitarian parole, a status that allows those under immediate threat to seek refuge in the United States, Stripes reported.
Their application was approved last week and advocacy groups are ready to greet them, said Cress Clippard, a Marine veteran and a volunteer for the Houston-based Combined Arms SIVs and Allies.
“I firmly believe that this decision is saving the lives of Mohammad’s wife and children,” Clippard said. “He served alongside us, and his family deserves to be taken care of. Houston is ready and willing to take them in and support them.”
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services declined to comment on the case Monday due to privacy restrictions, Stripes reported.
Mohammad waited almost a decade for a Special Immigrant Visa, which allows those facing threats after aiding the U.S. to immigrate with their families, said the family’s lawyer, Julie Kornfeld of the International Refugee Assistance Project.
His SIV application was wrongfully delayed, and prior to his murder in January he faced constant threats on his life from the Taliban for working with the Americans, his son told Stars and Stripes.
Mohammad’s family members remain in hiding in Afghanistan as they prepare to come to the U.S., their lawyer said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan announced on Tuesday the release of American citizen Dennis Coyle from prison.
According to the ministry, Coyle’s mother had written to the leader of the Islamic Emirate demanding amnesty and the release of her son on the occasion of Eid. The Supreme Court considered time served sufficient and decided to release him.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that this action was carried out on the basis of humanitarianism and good faith, and it believes that such measures can strengthen trust between countries. The ministry also expressed hope that both countries, in the future, can find solutions to remaining issues through mutual understanding and constructive dialogue.
The Islamic Emirate also expressed appreciation for the cooperation of the United Arab Emirates in this matter.
Separately, for Coyle’s release, an American delegation, including Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan, met on Tuesday with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate.
The meeting was also attended by Saif Mohammed Al-Ketbi, Ambassador of the UAE in Kabul, and a member of the prisoner’s family.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Muttaqi stated that the Islamic Emirate has not detained any citizen of any country to achieve political objectives; rather, detentions were the result of legal violations, and individuals were released after completing judicial procedures.
At the meeting, Khalilzad praised the action of the Islamic Emirate and emphasized the importance of continuing discussions on all issues between the two countries, expressing hope for further progress in the future.
Muttaqi also stressed that Kabul and the UAE should provide standard consular services to their citizens, and that the Afghan government is fully prepared in this regard.
He thanked Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, for their constructive role in facilitating the release of the prisoner and referred to the UAE as a close friend of Afghanistan.
Earlier, Muttaqi had also praised the role of the State of Qatar in facilitating information exchange between the Islamic Emirate and the prisoner’s family.
Additionally, the UAE ambassador expressed his country’s readiness to play a role in humanitarian institutions and called such developments beneficial for everyone.
The United Kingdom has announced an additional £3 million (AFN 257 million) in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, aimed at supporting people affected by natural disasters and other shocks.
Richard Lindsay, in a post on X, said the funding will be used to provide essential nutrition supplies and related support to vulnerable populations.
The new allocation brings the UK’s total bilateral assistance to Afghanistan for the current financial year to £154 million (AFN 13.18 billion).
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