September 17 – Members of Afghanistan’s women’s football team are reported to have safely crossed the border in Pakistan to escape the Taliban regime.
Pakistan’s English-language newspaper The Dawn said the players were given emergency humanitarian visas.
Fawad Chaudhry, Pakistan’s information minister, said the players entered Pakistan at the northwestern Torkham border crossing.
“We welcome Afghanistan women football team,” he wrote on Twitter.
Campaigners said the women, many of whom are in their teens, had been in hiding as reports surfaced of the Taliban trying to track them down since women are not allowed to play football under the new regime.
Former Afghan women’s team captain Khalida Popal says she helped with the evacuation process.
“I am happy to announce that once with the great support I managed to get more than 79 youth female footballers & family members out of Afg,” she posted.
It is unclear exactly how many Afghan female players and their families were permitted to enter Pakistan, nor what their plans are moving forward, according to AP.
Earlier this month, a large number of women footballers and athletes were airlifted to safety on an evacuation flight to Australia amid the Taliban takeover.
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