Afghan refugees will be made welcome

North Lanarkshire Council’s leader has confirmed that the local authority is ready to welcome refugees from Afghanistan.

Up to 20,000 Afghans could seek asylum in the UK under a scheme to be set up by the government following the Taliban’s takeover of the country.

Council leader Jim Logue said: “The situation in Afghanistan is deeply worrying and we are working closely with our colleagues in COSLA in preparation of welcoming refugees fleeing from the country.

“North Lanarkshire has a proud and compassionate record of ensuring people escaping terror are made to made to feel welcome as they start to build new lives here.

“Recent examples include welcoming Syrians into our communities and also people from the Democratic Republic of Congo as part of the Gateway Protection Programme in partnership between the Home Office and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.

“We stand ready to provide our full support and will do everything within our power to help those people in the greatest need.”

About 2000 Afghan former staff and their families have already come to the UK according to the Home Office, with a target of 5000 by the end of this year.

UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres has warned“hundreds of thousands”of people are fleeing the country because of“serious human rights violations”.

It is understood that COSLA leaders agreed in May to support the UK humanitarian programme that was anticipated for people expected to leave Afghanistan.

The local government organisation is co-ordinating the Afghan relocation scheme for Scotland, which is expected to be very different to the Syrian refugee resettlement programme due to the timescales involved.