Defence Minister: Some Afghan interpreters who were not taken in by Czechia had ties with Taliban

Czech Defence Minister Lubomír Metnar rebuffed criticism that the government had not done enough to evacuate all Afghan interpreters who helped Czech troops in Afghanistan by saying that there was information that some had ties to the Taliban. The statement was made in a lengthy interview posted on the Defence Ministry’s website on Wednesday, in which Mr Metnar broke his silence over the ongoing evacuation effort.

The defence minister said that not all interpreters were interested in seeking asylum in the Czech Republic, with some opting for the United States or Tadzhikistan instead. Those who were interested in asylum in Czechia and passed a security check were then in contact with Czech authorities. Mr Metnar was unwilling to disclose details about how many interpreters have been transported to the Czech Republic thus far, saying that the operation is still classified.

Some opposition politicians and members of the initiative Zachraňte tlumočníky (Save the interpreters), including veterans, have been critical of what they saw as too little and too slow an effort by the Czech government to provide asylum for Afghans who helped Czech troops in the country.