Afghan offered asylum in Lithuania thanks to YouTube plea

Afghan offered asylum in Lithuania thanks to YouTube plea
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By Seamus Kearney
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The asylum seeker, Abdul Basir, had worked with Lithuanian soldiers in logistics in the province of Ghor

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Social media has come to the rescue of an asylum seeker stuck in Greece.

Lithuania has promised to admit an Afghan man who sent out a plea on YouTube explaining how he worked with Lithuanian soldiers in Afghanistan.

The asylum seeker, Abdul Basir, had worked with Lithuanian soldiers in logistics in the province of Ghor since 2005.

He later managed to learn Lithuanian and become a translator.

Eugenijus Vaicekauskas from the Lithuanian Ministry of Defence said: “He was a link between the locals and our soldiers.

“His behavior influenced their attitude towards us and their attitude was very good.”

Basir is reported to have received threatening letters from the Taliban after his previous work with NATO and decided to try to head for Lithuania for protection.

Lithuania’s Deputy Interior Minister, Elvinas Jankevicius, said: “We decided to help him because it’s obvious he faces danger in his country.

“At the moment he’s in Greece, he has a valid passport. We only need to fly him here, or he can fly himself.”

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