Mexico City (AFP)

The Mexican government on Tuesday welcomed five young Afghan women members of an award-winning international robotics team who decided to leave Afghanistan after the Taliban took power.

These young women, unidentified for security reasons, were received at Mexico City airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marcelo Ebrard.

Four of them were present at a press conference, their hair partially covered with a veil and their faces protected from covid-19 by a mask.

"They not only saved our lives but also our dreams which we seek to achieve (...). Our story will not end sadly because of the Taliban," said one of the young women via a translator, adding that the female robotics team had proven that women were also capable of doing science.

"Now that the Taliban have taken power, it no longer works in our favor (...) In this regime, we women have difficulties (...) that's why we are grateful to be here ", she added.

The Foreign Ministry has indicated that they will be able to access a humanitarian visa for a maximum of 180 days with the right of renewal, after which they will be able to choose another status.

The partner of one of them was also welcomed in Mexico.

"The protection of our values ​​made us commit ourselves to have them in Mexico (...) we want to tell them from the bottom of our hearts that they are at home," said Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo. Ebrard.

Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard (l) welcomes four Afghan women, members of an international robotics team, evacuated from Afghanistan, August 24, 2021 at Mexico City airport PEDRO PARDO AFP

Known as the 'Afghan dreamers', these young women won an international robotics award and recently created a new ventilator for Covid patients from old car parts.

This Afghan robotics team is made up of around 20 women, most of them still teenagers.

Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, many fear a return to the brutality of the regime of the 1990s, marked by the exclusion of girls from schools, the confinement of women to their homes, the ban on music and entertainment but also stoning and public executions.

The UN warned on Tuesday that the rights of Afghan women are a "red line" that the Taliban must not cross.

© 2021 AFP