Mexico receives fleeing Afghan media workers including from NY Times

MEXICO CITY: Mexico received 124 media workers and their family members from Afghanistan, including New York Times journalists, the government said on Wednesday, as people flee after the Taliban militant group’s takeover.

They arrived at Mexico City’s international airport early on Wednesday morning, where Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard waited to greet them. “Mexico has decided to support human rights applications for refuge, asylum and humanitarian visas for people in Afghanistan who have asked to have this humanitarian condition,” Ebrard said.

A day earlier, five members of Afghanistan’s all-girls robotics team arrived in Mexico. Mexico has pledged to aid Afghan women and girls amid concern about their treatment under Taliban rule. Ebrard said on Aug. 18 that the country was processing refugee applications of Afghan citizens, especially women and girls, with the aid of Guillermo Puente Ordorica, Mexico’s ambassador in Iran.