California District Works to Get 27 Students Out of Afghanistan

A California school district is still waiting for the return of about 27 students who went to Afghanistan on summer break with their families. The Sacramento County students were there to visit relatives and for other personal reasons, USA Today reports. "We believe that some of these families may be in transit out of Afghanistan, as we have not been able to reach many of them in the last few days," Raj Rai, director of communications for the district, wrote in an email. The Sacramento area's population of Afghan immigrants is among the largest in the US.

The final US flight removing evacuees was Monday night. It wasn't clear if the students and their families are US citizens, per NBC. A spokesperson said the State Department is working to help US citizens and their families, lawful permanent residents, and Afghans who helped US personnel during the war evacuate. School district officials said they're working with congressional offices and state officials to provide any information they receive from the students or their families. "San Juan Unified stands with our Afghan community and all those whose loved ones are currently in Afghanistan," Rai said. (Students and staff of the American University in Kabul were told Sunday that they would not be evacuated.)