Afghans losing hope two years after Taliban takeover

National Refugee-led Advisory and Advocacy Group chair Shabnam Safa called on the Albanese government to honour Australia's decades long involvement in the Afghanistan war.

"Significant delays in the processing of family reunification and temporary protection applications is putting more lives at risk every day," she said.

"Two years on from one of the most catastrophic diplomatic failures of our time, the people of Afghanistan continue to pay the highest price trapped under a terrorist regime.

"Australia needs to do more."

Mariam Veiszadeh, from the Afghanistan-Australian Advocacy Network, said the government's management of the humanitarian crisis "left a lot to be desired".

"Two years on and so many including my own family members are losing hope," she said.

"We cannot emphasise enough how the slow processing of humanitarian applications is having a devastating impact on those who simply do not have the luxury of time and are facing life and death situations while awaiting a response."

Afghans who helped or worked with coalition militaries during the conflict live in fear of being executed by the Taliban as traitors.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the government remained committed to helping the Afghan people.

"Our thoughts are with the Afghan people, the Australian-Afghan community, officials and ADF veterans who served," she posted on social media.

"Australia remains committed to helping those who helped us and to supporting and advocating for the Afghan people."

Australia's forces followed the US into Afghanistan after the September 11 attacks in 2001.

Since the withdrawal of troops in 2021, the Taliban has erased women from public life, banning them from schools and universities.

There are 28 million people in Afghanistan who need urgent humanitarian assistance, including more than three million children under the age of five who are malnourished.

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Australian Associated Press