Airbnb has offered free housing to 20,000 Afghan refugees globally on Tuesday and sought more assistance from hosts who rent property through the home-sharing company.
The American company operates an online marketplace for lodging, primarily homestays for vacation rentals, and tourism activities.
The new development comes as thousands of people scramble to flee Afghanistan after Taliban seized back control of the country last week.
Read Also: Afghanistan President, Ashraf Ghani Flees Country As Taliban Take Over Kabul (Video/Photos)
Taking to Twitter, Airbnb co-founder Brian Chesky said, “Starting today, Airbnb will begin housing 20,000 Afghan refugees globally for free.”
While we will be paying for these stays, we could not do this without the generosity of our Hosts.
— Brian Chesky (@bchesky) August 24, 2021
Read Also: Taliban Announces ‘Amnesty,’ Urges Women To Join Government
In a series of tweets, Brian Chesky said Airbnb would be paying for these stays, stressing;
If you’re willing to host a refugee family, reach out and I’ll connect you with the right people here to make it happen.
If you’re willing to host a refugee family, reach out and I’ll connect you with the right people here to make it happen!
— Brian Chesky (@bchesky) August 24, 2021
Kabul airport has been witness to heartbreaking scenes of thousands of people flooding its premises and even clinging on to planes on the runway in a desperate bid to get out of the country.
Read Also: Thousands Struggle To Flee Afghanistan As Taliban Take Control (Videos)
The Airbnb co-founder added;
The displacement and resettlement of Afghan refugees in the US and elsewhere is one of the biggest humanitarian crises of our time. We feel a responsibility to step up.
I hope this inspires other business leaders to do the same. There’s no time to waste.
— Brian Chesky (@bchesky) August 24, 2021
This comes in the backdrop of increasing Taliban hostility and deteriorating security situation in Kabul after it fell to the militant outfit on August 15.
Read Also: No New Afghan Government Until Last US Soldier Leaves – Taliban
On Sunday, a White House official said more than 30,000 people had been flown out of Kabul since August 14 by US and its allies, although it’s not clear how many were Afghan nationals.
