"We are grateful that Allah has let us be here, that he has saved our lives," said one of the refugee women. | Photo: SRE

Mexico City, August 25 (RHC)-- The government of Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador received on Tuesday a first group of five women from Afghanistan, after the Taliban movement came to power in that Asian country, official sources reported.

"In Mexico we say: 'you are at home', and now we want to tell you from the bottom of our hearts, you are at home and Mexico honors its tradition and the future we want to have," said Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard to the Afghan refugees.

The Secretary of Foreign Affairs recalled Mexico's "long tradition in favor of refugees" and expressed his confidence that the women "will be received with great affection by the Mexican people".

The refugee women are part of the robotics team called "Afghan Dreamers," which developed ventilators for COVID-19 patients and became popular internationally in 2017, when the women overcame a series of bureaucratic and misogynistic hurdles and traveled to Washington to compete in a competition.

"We are very happy to be here, it is an honor that the Mexican government has allowed us to be here and save our lives," said one of the girls -- named Fatemah, Lida, Kawsar, Maryam and Saghar -- in a media appearance upon their arrival at Mexico City International Airport (AICM).

"Now that the Taliban are in power, things are no longer in our favor (...) However, we are honored to be here, safe," added the young woman who spoke.

"We are grateful that Allah has let us be here, that he has saved our lives.  You have not only saved our lives, but our dreams; we are thankful to God that we are still alive and that our story will not end in a sad way because of the Taliban."