عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
World

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
TT
20
TT

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."

Most Viewed

 
World

Istanbul Residents Spend the Night Outdoors after Strong Earthquake, Aftershocks

Locals rest in a public park following an earthquake shock with a preliminary magnitude of 6.2, in Istanbul, Türkiye, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (Berkman Ulutin/Dia Photo via AP)
Locals rest in a public park following an earthquake shock with a preliminary magnitude of 6.2, in Istanbul, Türkiye, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (Berkman Ulutin/Dia Photo via AP)
TT
20
TT

Istanbul Residents Spend the Night Outdoors after Strong Earthquake, Aftershocks

Locals rest in a public park following an earthquake shock with a preliminary magnitude of 6.2, in Istanbul, Türkiye, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (Berkman Ulutin/Dia Photo via AP)
Locals rest in a public park following an earthquake shock with a preliminary magnitude of 6.2, in Istanbul, Türkiye, Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (Berkman Ulutin/Dia Photo via AP)

Many Istanbul residents spent the night outdoors, too fearful to return to their homes, following a strong earthquake and over 180 aftershocks.

The magnitude 6.2 quake tremor that struck Wednesday deeply impacted the city of 16 million residents, leaving many inhabitants shaken and wary of a possible more destructive tremor. There were no reports of serious damage but the temblor, the strongest felt in Istanbul in recent years, prompted widespread panic and scores of injuries.

The earthquake had a shallow depth of 10 kilometers (about 6 miles), according to the United States Geological Survey, with its epicenter about 40 kilometers (25 miles) southwest of Istanbul, in the Sea of Marmara. It was felt in several neighboring provinces.

At least 236 people were treated for injuries they suffered while trying to jump from buildings or for panic attacks. Most of the injuries were in Istanbul, where residents remain on edge because the city is considered at high risk for a major quake.

In fear of a stronger earthquake that could demolish homes, residents sought refuge by sleeping in their cars or setting up tents in parks and other open spaces. Many lit camp fires to keep warm after the temperature dipped, The AP news reported.

Türkiye is crossed by two major fault lines, and earthquakes are frequent.

For many, the memory of a devastating earthquake that struck 11 southern and southeastern provinces two years ago, remains vivid.

The 7.8-magnitude earthquake on February 6, 2023, claimed more than 53,000 lives and destroyed or damaged hundreds of thousands of buildings. Another 6,000 people were killed in the northern parts of neighboring Syria.

The Turkish disaster and emergency management agency, AFAD, said Wednesday’s earthquake was followed by 184 aftershocks — seven of them of a magnitude 4 or stronger.

Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum stated that authorities had received 378 reports of structural damage in various buildings. At least 12 buildings had been evacuated as a precautionary measure, he said.

Only one building — a derelict, long-abandoned structure in the city’s historic Fatih district — collapsed.

Germany’s GFZ seismological research institute said the earthquake was the strongest in the area in over 25 years and extended the fault zone toward Istanbul.

The institute said the development presented two possibilities: either the region could experience a temporary decrease in seismic activity, or the stress caused by the earthquake could lead to a more destructive tremor.

“The area beneath the Sea of ​​Marmara south of Istanbul is the only area of ​​the entire plate boundary that hasn’t generated a strong earthquake in over 250 years and is therefore overdue for an earthquake with a magnitude of up to 7.4,” the seismology center said.