Up to 300 Afghans arrived in the Philippines on Monday for temporary stays while they were processed for resettlement in the United States, Philippine and US officials said.
The Philippines and the United States signed an agreement last July that allowed possibly hundreds of Afghans to remain in Manila while their American special immigrant visas were processed.
This was despite internal opposition in the majority-Catholic country over security and other concerns.
“The DFA issued the appropriate Philippine entry visa to these applicants in accordance with the current rules and regulations,” Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Teresita Daza said in a statement.
“All applicants completed a thorough security investigation by Philippine national security agencies.”
A U.S. State Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, did not elaborate on the number involved other than to say “up to 300.”
Under the agreement, the US government will bear the cost of the Afghans' stay in Manila, including food, accommodation, medical care, security and transportation, according to the Philippine DFA statement.
The Afghans will remain at a facility operated by the US State Department's Afghanistan Relocation Efforts Coordinator, according to a previous statement from the US Embassy.
Daza had previously said the Afghans would not be able to stay longer than 59 days and would be “confined to their accommodation facilities” except for interviews at the embassy.
All applicants underwent medical examinations in Afghanistan.
Tens of thousands of Afghans fled their country in the chaotic evacuation of August 2021 as US and allied forces withdrew to end Washington's longest war, launched after the September 11, 2001, attacks.
Many of those who had worked with the ousted Western-backed government came to the United States seeking resettlement under a special immigrant visa program, but thousands also stayed behind or in third countries, waiting for their visas to be processed.
