NPR’s Lawrence: State Dept. Says People in Afghanistan Hunted by Taliban Should ‘Register’ for Protection with Taliban Government

During a report aired on Monday’s broadcast of NPR’s “Morning Edition,” NPR Correspondent Quil Lawrence reported that the State Department told him that people in Afghanistan who have “urgent” needs for protection, like those who are being hunted by the Taliban, should “register for international protection and assistance with the government” of Afghanistan, which is currently controlled by the Taliban.

Lawrence’s report centered around the efforts of Lt. Col. Christy Barry to get a general in the Afghan Army that she worked with out of the country.

Lawrence said that Barry put in an application for the general and fifteen members of his family “back in August. Because of his many years of helping the U.S. mission, he qualifies for a Priority 1 visa. But a State Department spokesperson told NPR those visas currently take 12 to 18 months, at best.”

Barry stated that there isn’t time because the general is “a high-value target.” And “the Taliban went to his house, looking for him by name.”

Lawrence added, “The State Department spokesperson said individuals with urgent protection needs should follow procedures to register for international protection and assistance with the government of the country they are in. To state the obvious, the general can’t do that. The government is now the Taliban.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett