‘Harrowing’ scenes as Afghan refugees arrive at Manchester Airport ‘bewildered and exhausted’

Throughout the last week, hundreds of refugees fleeing the war-torn country of Afghanistan have been arriving and preparing for their new lives here in Manchester.

After the Taliban took full control of the country earlier this month, the UK government vowed to take in more than 20,000 Afghan refugees over the coming years, with many of the immediate arrivals being housed in hotels near Manchester Airport. 

It was understood that as of last week, the three undisclosed hotels housing the 1,000 refugees here in Manchester were at max capacity. 

Red Cross

Sobering photos taken by the Red Cross have shown the moment refugees – adults and children alike – took their first steps on British soil.

Across the week, children were met with a warm welcome by various Red Cross volunteers, who were all waiting armed with cuddly toys and colouring books as a friendly and welcoming gesture. 

Many of the children were wearing the same clothes they had boarded the flight in days earlier, while some babies were still wearing the same nappies. Many were visibly cold in the unfamiliar Manchester climate. 

Ru Shepherd, an emergency response volunteer assisting with the arrivals at Manchester Airport with the Red Cross, recalled how quiet the passengers were as they arrived, saying the atmosphere in the terminal was ‘sombre.’

Red Cross

She told the Manchester Evening News: “We were there to make sure they knew they were safe, to provide fluids and food and give them a change of clothes. It could be as simple as a bottle of water and some socks and shoes. Some had been in their clothes for up to three days.

“They were bewildered, exhausted. Everyone, including the children, were so placid and grateful. They were so very polite and just grateful.

“They were told what would happen next and where they would go – because they had no idea. They didn’t even know which part of England they were in.”

Ru detailed how there were some ‘really poorly people’ arriving at the terminal throughout the week, as well as some ‘very new babies.’

Red Cross

She explained: “Really small babies and their cries were not like anything I had heard. Very meek. It was like a cat meowing.”

Ru also recalled the overwhelming sense of sadness in the airport, saying she saw a woman ‘weeping quietly’ next to her sleeping children, adding: “She didn’t know where her husband was.

“It’s still on my mind. As team members we’ve all been reaching out to each other to make sure we’re okay. It’s a harrowing thing to witness and be part of.”

For more information on how you can help the refugees fleeing Afghanistan, visit the following links:

British Red Cross
UNICEF
AllWeCan.org
United Nation Refugee Agency
Refugee Council