Afghan flag to fly at Paralympics opening ceremony in ‘sign of solidarity’

The Afghan flag will be displayed Tuesday at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics opening ceremony, despite the absence of the country’s two athletes who are unable to leave Afghanistan amid the Taliban takeover, The Associated Press reported.

International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons said on Monday that the display of the flag will be a “sign of solidarity.”

A representative from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees will carry the flag during the opening ceremony, according to the AP. 

Para-taekwondo athlete Zakia Khudadadi and discus thrower Hossain Rasouli have not been able to travel to Tokyo due to the collapse of the Afghan government.

Americans and their Afghan allies are seeking to escape Afghanistan, via flights at Kabul’s international airport, as the Taliban reclaims control of the country almost 20 years after U.S. troops first arrived in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.

President Biden announced on Sunday that the U.S. has evacuated almost 28,000 people from the country since Aug. 14, adding that there are ongoing discussions about possibly extending the presence of U.S. beyond a self-imposed Aug 31. deadline.