The browser you are using is not supported. Please consider using a modern browser.

Skip Navigation
Act Now Donate
Start of main content.

News // Refugee Resettlement

Global Refuge on CNN: We Must Protect Afghan Allies

Global Refuge logo

Global Refuge Staff

July 29, 2021

Krish O'Mara Vignarajah is the president and chief executive of the Global Refuge. She previously served as a senior adviser at the State Department and as a policy director in the Obama administration. This Opinion piece originally appeared in CNN on July 28, 2021.

Sohail Pardis was on his way to pick up his sister in Afghanistan's Khost province for the upcoming Eid celebrations marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. What was supposed to be a joyous occasion turned into a horrific nightmare as he reached a Taliban-controlled checkpoint along his route to Kabul. As CNN reported Friday, villagers witnessed Taliban militants drag Pardis out of the vehicle and behead him.

This abhorrent act of violence was far from random — Pardis was one of the thousands of Afghan interpreters and allies who served alongside US personnel during two decades of war in Afghanistan. As a result, they and their family members live in constant fear of persecution, torture, and murder at the hands of a vengeful Taliban with growing power as the American withdrawal reaches 95% completion…

Read the Full Piece on CNN

Take Action For Afghan Allies

Visit our online hub to learn more about the dangers facing Afghan allies, our advocacy to protect them, video resources, and ways you and your community can make a difference.

Take Action

Make a Donation

Thanks to a matching gift from a generous Global Refuge board member, your gift today will go so much further. Every dollar will be doubled, up to $10,000 providing much needed assistance for our Afghan friends.

Give Now

The Latest

  • Press Release · Refugee Resettlement

    June 4, 2025

    Global Refuge Expresses Deep Concern Over Sweeping Travel Ban

    The Trump administration announced a sweeping new travel ban, fully restricting entry to nationals from twelve countries. Read Global Refuge's press release.

    Read More
  • News

    May 29, 2025

    A Mother’s Story: Valentina

    Across the country, refugee mothers are working every day to create safe, stable lives for their families in a place they’re just beginning to call home. Even as fewer new families are arriving in the U.S., the mothers already here continue to navigate daily challenges—finding work, securing housing, enrolling children in school—all while adjusting to life in a new culture. For Valentina,* seeing her daughter safe, happy, and thriving in the U.S. makes every hardship along the way feel worth it.

    Read More
  • News · Community Engagement

    May 29, 2025

    Fostering Joy: Misti and Megan’s Story

    In a time of immense uncertainty for refugees and other immigrants in communities across the country, many supporters of the work of welcome are stepping forward to do what they can—whether it’s donating money, volunteering their time, speaking out in support, or, as Global Refuge supporters Misti and Megan did, opening their hearts and home to foster one of the thousands of children who migrate to the U.S. alone each year.

    Read More
  • News

    May 21, 2025

    A Mother’s Story: Marie

    For Marie*, being a mother means making tough decisions and always finding a way forward, even when nothing seems certain. It’s that determination that drove her to flee the only home she’d ever known in search of safety for her daughter.

    Read More
  • News

    May 20, 2025

    Tomas’ Story: Building a Bright Future and a Healthy Home

    In a remote village in Guatemala, Tomas is building a new future for himself and his family—without having to leave home. 

    Read More

Share