Facebook helped a group of employees flee Afghanistan alongside 'families who were in grave danger,' including 75 children

• Facebook told Insider that it helped staff flee Afghanistan alongside families "in grave danger."
• The social-media workers escaped Taliban rule on a flight to Mexico this Tuesday.
• They were joined by over 100 Afghan journalists, activists, and 75 children.

A group of 175 Afghan citizens, including Facebook employees, fled Taliban rule on a flight to Mexico this Tuesday.

"In the process of assisting Facebook employees and close partners leave Afghanistan, we joined an effort to help a group of journalists and their families who were in grave danger," a Facebook spokesperson told Insider.

"Thanks to the leadership of the Mexican government, and the support of the UAE in providing the initial landing, the journalists have been welcomed in Mexico," the company added.

As the US raced to evacuate troops, American citizens, and allies out of Kabul, private rescue operations have helped thousands of refugees escape Afghanistan after the Taliban seized control of the country, WSJ reported Sunday.

An estimated 100 to 200 US citizens are still scrambling to leave after the last US flight departed Afghanistan earlier this week. Among them are 24 students from California and a former US military interpreter who said nobody told her when the last flight was leaving.

The government of Mexico said in a statement that the recently evacuated group was "the fourth to come to Mexico for humanitarian reasons due to the situation in Afghanistan," and is made of "social-media workers, activists, and independent journalists and their families, including 75 children."

"As with the previous groups, this coordination was essential to protect the safety of these individuals and ensure their arrival," the government added. "Their travel and living costs while in Mexico will be covered by private sponsors and civil society organizations."

Facebook did not respond to Insider's request asking if the tech company was one of the private sponsors paying for travel and living expenses.

Mexico's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said additional groups of Afghan refugees are expected to arrive in the country over the next few days.