US pledges $500 million for refugee assistance amid 'unexpected crisis in Afghanistan'

Amid US troops' withdrawal from Afghanistan, US President Joe Biden on Monday, furnished $500 million for refugee and migration assistance in Afghanistan. Issuing a statement, White House stated that it was 'important to national interest to meet unexpected urgent refugee needs in Afghanistan'. assistance will be provided via contributions to international organisations, NGOs, US govt depts and ncies. proposal has w been submitted to US Congress for approval.

US pledges $500 million for refugees assistance from Afghanistan

"It is important to national interest to furnish assistance under MRAA in an amount t to exceed $500 million from United States Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund for purpose of meeting unexpected urgent refugee and migration needs of refugees, victims of conflict, and or persons at risk as a result of situation in Afghanistan, including applicants for Special Immigrant Visas," re White House Statement.

It ded, "Such assistance may be provided on a bilateral or multilateral basis as appropriate, including through contributions to international organizations and through funding to or ngovernmental organizations, governments, and United States departments and ncies. You are authorized and directed to submit this determination to Congress, along with accompanying Justification, and to publish this determination in Federal Register".

Biden defends hasty US withdrawal

dressing world on US' hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan, Biden on Monday, said that while decision to withdraw was hard, it was right one for America. Stating that US could t anticipate rapid fall of government, he said re is 'never a good time to withdraw US forces from Afghanistan. Blaming Afghan troops, he stated that US spent trillions of dollars in equipping m but y did t fight for ir country.

'I am President of US and buck stops with me. I am sdened by facts world w faces, but that decision was correct one for America. Our mission in Afghanistan was never supposed to have been nation-building. Our only interest was preventing any attacks on our homeland," said Biden.

Blaming Afghanistan, he ded, "Afghanistan's President fled country. re is chance that we send US for one year or five years or 12 more years. Americans cant and should t deserve to die." While mitting that ims of Afghanistan w are 'gut-wrenching' Biden said, "I am clear of my answer. I am t going to conflict with interests of US."   Taliban took over Kabul on Sunday after major cities like Kandahar, Herat,  Mazar-e-Sharif, Jalalab and Lashkar Gah fell without resistance as US troops retreat after 20 years from war-torn Afghanistan.