Interpreter who rescued Biden in 2008 escapes Afghanistan with help of US soldiers

Afghan interpreter Aman Khalili rescued US President Joe Biden in 2008 when his helicopter made an emergency landing in a Taliban-controlled region. Khalili and Afghan employees helped then-Senator Biden and other US lawmakers, John Kerry and Chuck Hagel when they were vulnerable to ambush. However, he was left behind during mass evacuations due to documentation issues while the Taliban swiftly annexed Kabul in August, the Wall Street Journal reported.

As per a BBC report, Khalili had been pleading with the US government for helping to solve the visa issues for himself and his family. Finally, on Monday, he along with his family were able to evacuate the war-torn country for an "onward travel from Pakistan," a representative for the US State Department told BBC News. Khalili was rescued with the help of US veterans and former Afghan soldiers, who drove him and the family over 600 miles across Afghanistan to Pakistan, Wall Street Journal reported. "They did it so with extensive and high-level engagement and support from the US government, and we are grateful for the many others who also supported him along the way," the US State representative told BBC.

As per Wall Street Journal, Khalili and his family spent months in hiding after he failed to get the US Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) processed during the Taliban overhaul of Kabul amid the US's hasty withdrawal. Following US exit, Khalili called upon the President to save him and his family, comprising of his wife and five children. When asked about the interpreter's situation in September, White House spokesperson Jen Psaki had said that she was grateful to Khalili for "helping a number of (her) favourite people out of a snowstorm and for all the work (he) did." She also reaffirmed that the US was "committed" to rescuing all allies from Afghanistan.

Khalili was rescued with the help of HFC and US Govt

According to CNN, Khalili was evacuated from Pakistan with the help of the Human First Coalition (HFC) and the US government to join thousands of other Afghan refugees in the States. "We are grateful (to) the prime minister of Pakistan Imran Khan for his continued support of evacuation, secretary Antony Blinken, Congressmen Jeff Fortenberry, Senator Chris Coon, Chief of staff DoS Suzy George, DoS JP Feldmayer, Director of Task Force Islamabad Mark Tarkowski for evacuating the family of Ama Khalili," HFC told CNN. The US State Department confirmed while speaking to US media that the family has "safely" departed from Pakistan, however, they have maintained silence on the exact place of relocation.

Image: AP (representative)