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Irish Refugee Council Urging Government To Take 1,000 People Fleeing Afghanistan

Wednesday, 18 August 2021 09:31

While the number of Irish citizens looking to leave has increased to 33 in the last 24 hours. 

The government's being urged to accommodate seven times as many Afghan refugees as it has agreed so far.  

The Taliban yesterday tried to assure citizens their human rights would be protected, but thousands are fleeing the country after their takeover.

Ireland has committed to taking at least 150 people from Afghanistan, and they're due to arrive here in the coming days.

But Nick Henderson, from the Irish Refugee Council, says that's not enough:

The number of Irish citizens looking to leave Afghanistan has increased to 33 in the last 24 hours. 

Work is ongoing to arrange seats on military flights for the 25 adults and eight children. 

The Foreign Affairs Minister says he would love "to do more" when it comes to the number of Afghan refugees Ireland accepts. 

Ireland has initially agreed to take 195 people in total who are fleeing the country, but the Irish Refugee Council is calling for the number to be increased to at least 1,000. 

Minister Simon Coveney says repatriating citizens is difficult at the moment. 

Retired Brigadier General in Custume Barracks, Athlone, Ger Aherne, says the government should be able to fly them home - without help from other nations:

A small protest's been held in Kabul - where women chanted that "work, education and political participation" is every woman's right:

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