Touchdown for Afghans after land border escape

Australia’s airlift of Afghan refugees has come to an end after a special RAAF flight from Islamabad evacuated almost 100 asylum-seekers to Dubai.

Afghan refugees are released from hotel quarantine in Brisbane on Thursday. Picture: Dan Peled

Australia’s airlift of Afghan refugees has come to an end after a special RAAF flight from Islamabad evacuated almost 100 asylum-seekers to the Al Minhad Air Base in Dubai after they made it over the border to Pakistan.

Scott Morrison said more than 3500 people who had fled ­Afghanistan had now been brought to Australia, ending the first phase of the evacuation ­effort. The Prime Minister said the next phase had begun, naming a special representative – Australian diplomat Daniel Sloper – to lead Australia’s humanitarian support for Afghan refugees.

He said Australia’s evacuation of 4100 people, including 2500 women and children, on 32 flights from Kabul had been one of the Australian Defence Force‘s “finest moments”.

“We are continuing to work with our coalition partners now on the next phase of that program,” he said.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has refused for weeks to disclose to The Australian how many Australian citizens and permanent residents were unable to leave Afghanistan despite seeking Australian government help.

The Department of Home Affairs has also refused to say how many Afghans who were approved to receive Australian visas were unable to make it out of the country after the Taliban took Kabul on August 15.

An RAAF flight picked up just over 90 Afghans in Islamabad on Tuesday, taking them to Australia’s base in Dubai. They have since been flown to Australia and entered quarantine in Darwin.

“The last flight to Australia landed in Darwin last night,” Mr Morrison said. “More than 3500 people have now been evacuated from AMAB to Australia, and that includes over 100 who have been evacuated from other locations after leaving Afghanistan.”

Many of the Afghans brought to Australia have been issued temporary subclass 449 visas, which are valid for three months.

Lawyer Glenn Kolomeitz, who is representing more than 300 Afghans who have been granted the short-term visas, appealed for the government to offer his clients permanent refugee visas.

“They can only keep applying for further temporary safe haven visas every three months, or for longer-term temporary protection visas, with the permission of the (Immigration) Minister,” he said. “Our clients are entitled to certainty and permanency.”

The balance of people evacuated on Australia’s behalf from Kabul were citizens of the US, the UK, New Zealand and Fiji.