Two Indian sisters have paid a significant sum of money to help evacuate 92 people, five dogs and one cat from Afghanistan. The evacuees are now in secure accommodation in Islamabad waiting to be resettled in a third country.
The sisters, one of whom lives in Gibraltar and the other in India, felt a deep connection with the plight of the Afghan refugees as their late mother had fled Pakistan for India during Partition.
In an evacuation dubbed “Operation Magic Carpet”, the 92 evacuees — including 30 women, 32 children and six pets — were transported across the land from Kabul to Islamabad using the services of American-Israeli rescue specialist Moti Kahana. They stayed in safe houses for different periods of time until it was safe to cross the border at different times and places before being met by Kahana’s team in Pakistan.
“We are lobbying a number of countries to see who can take them,” said British animal welfare campaigner Dominic Dyer, who played a leading role in the operation.
Thirteen of the evacuees are vets who had been working for animal welfare charity Mayhew in Kabul, of which Meghan Markle is the patron. In addition to 60 former Mayhew staff and dependants, the group involved 32 business executives, former security specialists and their families.
A 90-year-old woman was part of the group and a baby girl was born during the evacuation.
“The pets are all alive and well and provided unconditional support to the families throughout the ordeal,” Dyer said.
A spokesperson for Mayhew Afghanistan, which carries out rabies and neutering programme for strays in Kabul, said: “Some of Mayhew’s staff took the decision to leave the country, but we have fully supported all our employees throughout this time and their safety has been our priority. Mayhew’s mission is to deliver animal welfare programmes where they are needed most, regardless of the challenges. Mayhew was able to resume its programmes in Kabul in September.”
