Sydney (AFP) - Australia has granted refugee visas to more than 500 Afghans for their help during its mission in the war-torn nation, saying their safety would be jeopardised by remaining in the country.
The Afghan nationals, mainly interpreters, were resettled with their families in late 2013 and early 2014, the government revealed in a statement late Sunday.
"Many of these employees were placed at significant risk of harm by insurgents in Afghanistan, due to the highly visible and dangerous nature of their employment," Defence Minister David Johnston said.
He added that it had been imperative for the government to deal with the process discreetly, given the risks involved, which is why Canberra had not commented on their fate before now. |