The United States has issued approximately 34,000 special visas to Afghans who have risked their lives working with various American agencies since Joe Biden took office as president of the United States in 2021, the DPA agency reported on Saturday, quoted by Agerpres.

Chaotic exit from Afghanistan. Image of US and coalition soldiers evacuating people at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, AfghanistanPhoto: Balkis Press/ABACA/Abaca Press/Profimedia

According to the US Embassy in Afghanistan, which currently operates from Qatar rather than Kabul, this type of visa will continue to be issued to Afghans.

The US evacuated tens of thousands of Afghans during the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan in August 2021.

Thousands of Afghan citizens are trying to escape the poverty and chaos in their country, hoping to eventually reach the US or another Western country.

The Taliban regime in Kabul implemented a number of harsh fundamentalist measures, such as banning secondary school and university education for girls.

Many Afghans live in dire conditions in neighboring countries such as Iran and Pakistan while their visa applications are processed.

Figures released by the US State Department show that more than 152,000 Afghan nationals have applied for special immigrant visas.