Airbnb Says It Will Host 20,000 Afghan Refugees Following Taliban Takeover of Afghanistan

Airbnb stated on Tuesday it’s going to present free non permanent lodging to twenty,000 Afghan refugees fleeing the Taliban’s nearly full takeover of Afghanistan within the wake of U.S. army withdrawal, with this system starting instantly.

CEO Brian Chesky tweeted early Tuesday that the corporate “will begin housing 20,000 Afghan refugees globally for free,” including that whereas the corporate shall be paying for the stays, “we could not do this without the generosity of our Hosts.” Chesky added: “The displacement and resettlement of Afghan refugees in the US and elsewhere is one of the biggest humanitarian crises of our time. We feel a responsibility to step up.”

In a statement, Airbnb stated that that it and Chesky could be protecting prices by way of the non-profit 501(c)(3) Airbnb.org, which has beforehand supplied housing for catastrophe victims and well being employees throughout the novel coronavirus pandemic. The group will even be soliciting donations for its Refugee Fund. It is working with resettlement businesses and different companions to determine these in want of housing. The firm added that it “urges fellow members of the global business community to join efforts to provide immediate support to Afghan refugees.”

Reached by e-mail, Airbnb didn’t say how lengthy it might be offering the housing or protecting payments. However, the corporate wrote within the assertion it has already supplied 165 refugees from Afghanistan “safe housing shortly after touching down in the U.S.” during the last weekend.

The Taliban, an ultra-reactionary Islamic militant group initially backed by the CIA and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence company to battle the Soviets throughout the Cold War, managed Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, after they have been deposed by the U.S. within the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror assaults for offering secure haven to the Al-Qaeda terror community. But it was by no means even near being destroyed and continued to fight each the U.S.-led coalition occupying the nation and safety forces commanded by the U.S.-backed Afghan authorities. President Joe Biden’s administration, having promised to convey an finish to the seemingly endless U.S. occupation of the nation, has thus far chosen to abide by a deal struck with the Taliban under Donald Trump’s administration to drag out all U.S. troops (although it prolonged the timeline to the top of August 2021). Despite assurances on the contrary from Biden’s administration, the Afghan authorities put up little resistance and successfully ceased to exist past isolated groups of holdouts as Taliban forces consolidated management in mere weeks.

G/O Media might get a fee

The 20 disastrous years of U.S. occupation stretched throughout four presidential administrations, precipitated hundreds of thousands of deaths and untold financial and social injury. And based on United Nations estimates, ended with simply wanting 2.5 million registered Afghan refugees. The solely a part of Afghanistan the place U.S. army forces stay stationed is the airport in Kabul, the place tens of 1000’s of refugees determined to keep away from retribution and/or oppression by the resurgent Taliban have fled in latest weeks in a last-ditch effort to board the final planes leaving the nation.

The Taliban have since introduced that whereas they may let international nationals go away, they won’t enable Afghan residents to achieve the airport, they usually oppose any continued evacuations past Aug. 31. Witnesses have described the militant group’s crackdown on dissent and reprisals against these suspected of aiding U.S. or NATO forces throughout the occupation. On Tuesday, according to CNBC, the Biden administration stated it had evacuated or helped evacuate some 58,700 folks from Afghanistan since Aug. 14, together with about 21,600 airlifted since Monday. According to the Washington Post, Biden advised G-7 leaders on Tuesday that he believes the evacuation shall be accomplished by the Aug. 31 deadline. While he just isn’t anticipated to announce an extension, the White House left open the chance that the ultimate withdrawal date may change if crucial.

Many of the refugees are at present in squalid circumstances, reminiscent of in hangars at Doha, Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base, the place 1000’s are reportedly being held in searing August temperatures with out air con and a dire lack of sources. Axios obtained an email, despatched final Friday by U.S. Central Command supervisory particular agent Colin Sullivan, detailing circumstances on the base together with uncleaned human waste and a rat infestation. Sullivan wrote, “While not in any way downplaying the conditions in Kabul nor the conditions the Afghanis [sic] are escaping from, the current conditions in Doha are of our own doing.”

Airbnb stated within the assertion that Airbnb.org has supplied lodging to roughly 75,000 folks in want since 2012. Chesky tweeted, “I hope this inspires other business leaders to do the same. There’s no time to waste.”

The firm, which operated in Afghanistan throughout the U.S. occupation and nonetheless has a small variety of itemizing there as of Tuesday afternoon, isn’t the one one providing to assist throughout the disaster (and implicitly decide up some PR goodwill within the course of). According to Reuters, Verizon Inc. has introduced plans to waive prices for calls to Afghanistan by way of Sept. 6, whereas Walmart is donating $1 million to nonprofits to help Afghan refugees. The Pentagon stated this weekend that it has enlisted 18 plane from United Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, and others to take displaced individuals to their subsequent locations after disembarking from flights leaving Afghanistan, Reuters added.