Gov. Eric Holcomb visited Afghan evacuees at Camp Atterbury Wednesday, nearly a week after the first wave of people escaping the Taliban arrived in Indiana.
The first group of roughly 1,000 evacuees arrived at the camp on Sept. 2. They will be provided temporary housing and support services before being resettled.
“I’m so proud to see the work being done by the Indiana National Guard and our federal partners in such a short time to help these evacuees,” Holcomb said in a statement. “There has been an outpouring of kindness from Hoosiers to welcome those who aided and protected us.”
Holcomb shared photos of the visit on Twitter Thursday.
Task Force Atterbury, consisting of active-duty and National Guard service members supporting this federal mission, is providing housing, medical, logistics, and transportation to the Afghans. pic.twitter.com/s0G0ZMu1GC — Governor Eric Holcomb (@GovHolcomb) September 9, 2021
The last U.S. forces flew out of Kabul’s airport last week, ending America’s longest war following an airlift of Afghans, Americans and others escaping a country once again ruled by the Taliban.
Holcomb says Indiana is committed to helping the evacuees, which include American citizens, Afghan allies who helped in the military effort and those deemed vulnerable Afghans by the U.S. government.
Camp Atterbury is expected to receive approximately 5,000 evacuees in the coming weeks, according to Indiana National Guard Adjutant Gen. R. Dale Lyles.
The refugees will be subject to a 14-day quarantine at Camp Atterbury to determine their medical and visa statuses. Non-governmental agencies will aim to resettle them within 10 weeks.