Since Kabul was taken a little over a week ago, our girls and the Ascend team have had to respond, react and adapt to an increasingly volatile situation, often minute by minute. Amid this shifting chaos, we continue to receive messages of panic from our girls and staff, and the airport remains overrun and dangerous.
The simple fact is our girls do not have safe access to the airport, and cannot make it to the planes and out of the country. Ascend therefore stands with all governments calling for a deadline extension.
If US forces cannot secure safe passage to the airport, then we must give Afghans seeking to evacuate more time. An evacuation mission where evacuees are unable to reach the airport safely is a false pretence, and in no one’s interests.
Over the last few days, it has become clear that so much rests on time – and the lack of it. Ascend will make use of every second given to us. We will continue to work on getting as many of girls out as possible. At the same time, we remain fully committed to our mission in the weeks, months and years to follow. We will continue to protect the role of girls and women in Afghanistan’s civil society, in whatever shape that takes.
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