Canada to Take in 20,000 Afghan Refugees Targeted by Taliban

Afghan internally displaced families arrive in Kandahar as they flee battles between Taliban fighters and Afghan security forces on July 27, 2021 JAVED TANVEER AFP/File
Afghan internally displaced families arrive in Kandahar as they flee battles between Taliban fighters and Afghan security forces on July 27, 2021 JAVED TANVEER AFP/File
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Canada to Take in 20,000 Afghan Refugees Targeted by Taliban

Afghan internally displaced families arrive in Kandahar as they flee battles between Taliban fighters and Afghan security forces on July 27, 2021 JAVED TANVEER AFP/File
Afghan internally displaced families arrive in Kandahar as they flee battles between Taliban fighters and Afghan security forces on July 27, 2021 JAVED TANVEER AFP/File

Canada said Friday it will take in up to 20,000 Afghan refugees, including women leaders, government workers and others facing threats from the Taliban, as insurgents advanced across the country seizing major cities.

"The situation in Afghanistan is heartbreaking and Canada will not stand idly by," Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino told a news conference.

The refugees will include "particularly vulnerable" Afghans still in the country or who've already fled to neighboring states, which in addition to female leaders and government employees also comprises human rights defenders, persecuted minorities and journalists.

Several plane-loads of asylum seekers have already departed with the first one landing Friday in Toronto, Mendicino said.

As the Taliban advances on the capital Kabul, officials said Canadian special forces form part of a contingency plans to airlift Canadian embassy staff, but details were not provided due to the sensitive nature of the security operation.

Earlier Friday, many countries including Spain, Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands announced the withdrawal of staff from their respective embassies.

Canada has said it is monitoring the situation in Afghanistan "very closely" and working with its allies on the ground.

"Protecting the Canadian Embassy and our staff is our top priority," said Foreign Minister Marc Garneau.

On Twitter, he said that Canada "owes Afghans a debt of gratitude and we will continue our efforts to bring them to safety."



Zelensky Urges Trump to Visit Ukraine to See War Devastation

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. AP
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. AP
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Zelensky Urges Trump to Visit Ukraine to See War Devastation

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. AP
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. AP

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged US counterpart Donald Trump on Sunday to visit his country to better understand the devastation wrought by Russia's invasion.

"Please, before any kind of decisions, any kind of forms of negotiations, come to see people, civilians, warriors, hospitals, churches, children destroyed or dead," he said in a CBS "60 Minutes" interview broadcast Sunday.

With a visit to Ukraine, Trump "will understand what (Russian leader Vladimir) Putin did."

"You will understand with whom you have a deal," Zelensky added.

Zelensky's invitation follows the heated row at the White House in late February between the Ukrainian president, Trump and US Vice President JD Vance, which played out in front of press.

Vance at the time accused Ukraine of hosting foreign leaders on "propaganda tours" to win support.

Zelensky repeated his denial of that allegation and told CBS that if Trump chose to visit Ukraine, "we will not prepare anything. It will not be theater."

"You can go exactly where you want, in any city which (has) been under attacks."

Trump is pushing for a quick end to the more than three-year war, with the United States holding direct talks with Russia despite its unrelenting attacks on Ukraine.

Washington has also held talks with Ukrainian officials on a potential truce, while European nations are discussing a military deployment to reinforce any Ukraine ceasefire.

Kyiv has previously agreed to a US-proposed unconditional ceasefire but Moscow has turned it down.

"Putin can't be trusted. I told that to President Trump many times. So when you ask why the ceasefire isn't working -- this is why," Zelensky said.

"Putin never wanted an end to the war. Putin never wanted us to be independent. Putin wants to destroy us completely -- our sovereignty and our people."

Zelensky spoke to CBS Friday in his hometown Kryvyi Rig, where a Russian strike earlier this month killed 18 people, including nine children.

The Ukrainian leader said he had "100 percent hatred" for Putin, asking "how else can you see a person who came here and murdered our people, murdered children?"

However, he added that the animosity "doesn't mean we shouldn't work to end the war as soon as possible."

As negotiations continue over ending the war, Zelensky said that a just peace would be "to not lose our sovereignty or our independence," and pledged to eventually reclaim any territory currently held by Russia.

"We, no matter what, will take back what is ours because we never lost it -- the Russians took it from us."