– A demanding operation, says the Ministry of Justice.
She has her hair tied in a ponytail with a pink knit. It is in the style of the dusty hooded jacket in the same color.
The girl has managed to get all the way to the wall that separates the crowd from the American soldiers. She manages to get up and shouts at the soldier above her.
In a video from the organization Rise to Peace you can I know how the soldier hesitates before extending a hand. He lifts her up and to safety. She is among the lucky ones.
Over the past week, thousands of desperate people have crowded outside the secured area of Kabul’s main airport. Several people have been killed, either because they were trampled to death or because they were hit by bullets from Taliban soldiers trying to chase them away.
As in all conflicts, children are the most vulnerable. The sun is shining, the degree shows 35 degrees. Many are hungry, thirsty and terrified.
Some of the children have managed to do as the girl with the pink hair braid. Several of these have ended up on the planes that have sent Afghans out of their home country. To unknown, new countries. Countries like Norway.
37,000 evacuated last week
This weekend, CBS journalist Eena Ruffini documented that children from Afghanistan have been evacuated to Norway. Her picture shows a small child in the arms of a Norwegian soldier.
Ruffini signed on Twitter that “the plane carried many children, from babies to teenagers.” She added that they traveled alone.
–The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) did not want to comment on the picture, but the Armed Forces confirmed on Saturday that it was genuine.
Around 37,000 people have been evacuated from Kabul in the past week, according to US authorities. In the last 24 hours alone, 16,000 have been evacuated, according to the US military.
Some of them have ended up in Norway. But how many of these are children? And where did they end up?
The Norwegian authorities will not say anything about this.
– Demanding operation
The reason is related to questions about security, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informs Aftenposten. The Ministry has not answered a number of written follow-up questions related to this explanation.
The Ministry of Children and Family Affairs refers to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on questions about the children who have been evacuated. The Armed Forces does the same.
And the Ministry of Justice and Emergency Preparedness, which is responsible for asylum policy? From there comes no comment either.
«Norwegian authorities are in the middle of a demanding operation. Now we have to deal with the situation and solve the challenges associated with it. Norwegian authorities are working to take care of the children in the best possible way “, says press officer Raheela Chaudhry.
Will be followed up in Norway
The Directorate for Children, Youth and Families (Bufdir) now takes care of the Afghan children.
– The children are now in our intervention apparatus for children and young people, says Ingrid Pelin Berg, regional director in Bufetat, region east.
She does not want to tell anyone about where the children are taken care of. The reason is privacy and child safety.
– But we can assure that they are closely followed up by competent personnel with refugee and pediatric expertise, says Pelin Berg.
In the first acute phase, it is about meeting the children’s basic needs for security, safety, follow-up of mental and physical health, she adds.
The same goes for basic needs like food and clothing. In the coming days, the authorities will map the children’s mental and physical health so that they can ensure that the children receive a follow-up adapted to their individual needs.
– It is the children’s mental and physical health that will determine further course and follow-up, says Pelin Berg.
Bufetat Øst will not state how many they are now taking care of or why they will not respond to this. They ask Aftenposten to contact the Ministry of Children and Family Affairs.
– Pain far into the soul
The evacuation of the children took place after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. Pictures have shown how some children have been lifted over the wall to the airport, also by Norwegian forces.
Terje Watterdal, country director of the Afghanistan Committee, even held a child in his arms on the flight from Kabul to Oslo. He told Aftenposten this weekend what emotions it aroused.
– It hurts deep into the soul to think of the small children and desperate parents who do not recover themselves, and then they do not know where the children will end up afterwards, Watterdal said.
CNN journalist Clarissa Ward also described several heartbreaking incidents from the airport in Kabul.
“I witnessed several such moments at the airport in Kabul. A female soldier carrying a crying Afghan toddler. A Marine who helped an elderly man who was struggling to walk. Employees who feverishly obtain a dehydrated newborn medical care. So many work so hard “, she writes Twitter.
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