During a congressional delegation visit to Afghanistan in 2008, an Afghan interpreter who assisted in the rescue of then-senator Joe Biden was evacuated from the country, according to the State Department and the nonprofit organization that coordinated his travel, which both confirmed to ABC News Monday.
The interpreter and his family were among more than 200 "at-risk" people in Pakistan who have since been evacuated to safety, a statement released by the Human First Coalition said, Monday.
The organization, which is made up of volunteers who are assisting with evacuations, expressed gratitude to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the State Department for helping them with their travel arrangements.
According to the report, Blinken made late-night phone calls to the group and assisted in coordinating a "route" out of Pakistan. It also expressed gratitude to Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan for receiving the evacuees when they originally arrived in Pakistan from Afghanistan.
As a result of a snowstorm, during Biden's 2008 visit to Afghanistan, the helicopter carrying him and then-senators Kerry and Hagel had to land unexpectedly.
Over land, a group of U.S. service members and their Afghan allies assisted in the rescue, which included a guy named Aman Khalili by the Wall Street Journal, which was the first to report his story.
After Biden completed the United States' mission in Afghanistan and evacuated all troops and staff in August, Khalili pleaded for assistance in leaving the country, sending the following message to Biden: "Please don't forget about me and my family, thank you. Please figure out a way to get me out of here."
The State Department also confirmed to ABC News on Monday that Khalili and his family had successfully been evacuated from Afghanistan and had "started onward travel from Pakistan."
Khalili was one of thousands of Afghans who served for the United States military and diplomatic mission in Afghanistan, but who were unable to obtain a Special Immigrant Visa in recognition of their efforts. It is unclear whether he has been granted a visa at this time, or where he and his family will be traveling.
