Associated Press (AP), citing an internal US government document and another source, said the flight carrying them touched Washington Dulles International Airport early Friday morning.

Many Afghans who worked with the US-led NATO forces against Taliban fear retribution as American forces are scheduled to depart from their country by August, almost 20 years after they arrived.

The first batch of 221 Afghans, who arrived in the US to escape persecution by Taliban, include 57 children and 15 babies, apart from other family members of the interpreters.

They are expected to stay at Fort Lee, Virginia for several days, US officials had said earlier this month, according to an Al Jazeera report.

More Afghan interpreters and aides, whose applications have been approved and  security clearance given, but have their visas in processing, will arrive in subsequent flights, it said.

The report said that the US government had earlier said that some 750 Afghans, who have been approved and cleared security vetting, would be flown to the US with an estimated 1,750 family members.

"The reason that we are taking these steps is because these are courageous individuals," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was quoted as saying.

"We want to make sure we recognise and value the role they have played over the last several years."

The US has named the evacuation and rehabilitation of these individuals and their families "Operation Allies Refugee".

Al Jazeera said that at least 20,000 Afghans who worked as interpreters for US forces have applied for evacuation under the US State Department program of Special Immigrant Visas.

Some estimates suggest the total number of prospective evacuees could be as high as 100,000 one family members are counted, stated the Al Jazeera report.