LBC hears heartbreaking stories from people stranded in Afghanistan
28 August 2021, 16:52
As the final civilian evacuation flight leaves Kabul, LBC hears harrowing real-life stories from those stuck in Afghanistan.
Matullah was speaking to Maajid Nawaz as confusion over the evacuation effort continues.
He told LBC that his dad "came to visit family" in Kabul before contracting coronavirus and passing away. Matullah went to Afghanistan to bury his father but ended up stranded after the Taliban takeover.
"I don't know what to do."
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"Are [the Taliban] looking for people like you?" Maajid asked amid reports that fighters are executing people who helped NATO forces during the occupation. He said he heard that they were actively seeking out UK nationals.
As UK authorities claim there are only 150 Brits left in the country, the caller claimed there to be thousands of citizens awaiting evacuation.
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"I don't think it's 100 or 150, it's over 1,000."
Another caller to Maajid Nawaz confirmed Matullah's claim, insisting "there are so many British Afghan families waiting" in Kabul, adding that services are not being very helpful.
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"It's really, really confusing. I don't know what to do."
He was visiting family when the Taliban took over, and told Maajid that he couldn't have predicted this would happen.
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The British citizen, who was 14 when he arrived in the UK, told Maajid that the Taliban were checking phones at checkpoints around the capital and are actively seeking out people speaking English.
"I've never seen it like this before," he revealed. "People are scared – they don't know what's gonna happen."
Morad is a Kabul native who was planning to flee Afghanistan before evacuations were halted. He told Matt Frei that fighters are "searching, patrolling" the streets looking for people who work in jobs the Taliban consider inappropriate.
As a civil activist, he has been unable to leave his home since the group took over.
"How long do you think you'll have to stay inside?" Matt wondered. Morad was uncertain, as he claims the only time he can leave was when "international friends" arrange him safe passage.
Matt asked how he'll react when he sees "that last plane take off," Morad admitted that "it's very hard" to fathom it.
"I don't have any words for that, it's very hard."
He predicted at least that "in Kabul, [the Taliban] will kill a lot of people" when NATO leave.
