The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan has raised concerns about a humanitarian crisis in the country as large numbers of people try to flee. In response, Mexico says it will begin accepting Afghan refugees.
Wednesday morning, Mexico’s Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard announced on Twitter that the country’s ambassador in Iran has begun processing refugee applications from Afghan citizens, especially women and girls.
He declined to give details about the number of applications, citing safety concerns for those fleeing.
Mexico’s efforts come as thousands are attempting to escape Afghanistan, and the United Nations has called on all countries to receive refugees and halt deportations.
In recent years, the number of people seeking refuge in Mexico has soared. As of the end of July, more than 64,000 people had applied for asylum this year, putting 2021 on pace to surpass a record-setting 2019, when more than 70,000 people sought refuge in the country.
Les informo que con la activa participación de Guillermo Puente Ordorica,Embajador de México en Irán, hemos iniciado el procesamiento de las primeras solicitudes de refugio de ciudadan@s afgan@s, especialmente de mujeres y niñas que lo han así solicitado.
— Marcelo Ebrard C. (@m_ebrard) August 18, 2021
