Doha, Qatar - The United States has issued nearly 34,000 Special Immigration Visas (SIVs) for Afghans who have risked their lives working with different US agencies since President Joe Biden took office in 2021, embassy officials said.

US diplomats around the world have processed Afghan visa applications, according to the US embassy in Afghanistan, which now operates from Qatar instead of Kabul.

"We will not stop," it said in a statement issued late Friday.

The US evacuated tens of thousands of Afghans during the chaotic withdrawal of US military forces from Afghanistan in August 2021.

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Thousands of Afghans are desperately looking for ways to escape the turmoil and povety, hoping to eventually reach the US or another Western country.

The Taliban rulers have imposed a series of strict fundamentalist policies, including banning education beyond primary school for girls and women.

Many Afghans are living in difficult conditions in neighboring countries such as Iran or Pakistan as they await decisions on visa applications.

Figures released by the US State Department show that more than 152,000 Afghan nationals have applied for SIVs.