MEAWW.COM / NEWS / HUMAN INTEREST

Afghan interpreter begs Biden to save him and his family: 'They're going to cut our heads off'

Identified as 'Abdul', the man expressed his fears surrounding the safety of himself and his family while talking to CNN’s Kate Bolduan in an emotional interview

An Afghan interpreter for the US Special Forces has urged President Joe Biden to help him and his family get out of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan after the Taliban took over capital Kabul. Identified as 'Abdul', the man expressed his fears surrounding the safety of himself and his family while talking to CNN’s Kate Bolduan in an emotional interview on Thursday, August 19.

Abdul's frantic plea to get him and his family safely out of Afghanistan comes amidst a spate of similar pleas from many, all of whom are trapped in the Taliban-controlled nation, and fear for their lives. While Abdul chose to keep his identity protected by revealing just a first name and choosing to speak through phone, others like Haroon Zarify have openly released videos pleading Biden to help him and his family stuck in Kabul.

READ MORE

Gen Haji Mulla Achakzai: Disturbing clip shows anti-Taliban police chief die in hail of bullets

What are Taliban rape gangs? Militants go door to door hunting for minor girls as sex slaves

The US government's efforts to evacuate people from the Afghan capital have also raised doubts, as empty flights from Kabul sparked rumors of the Taliban holding 20,000 US-bound people hostage.

And among those waiting for the US to rescue them is Abdul, who was an interpreter with the US in Afghanistan for five years. His current plight was played on television during a CNN segment where an audio recording given to a human rights attorney was heard. "Why are the American soldiers forgetting about us after everything we did, the sacrifices we made? Why are they leaving us behind? I don’t want to be killed by the Taliban. They are going to cut our heads off if they find my location. Please help," Abdul told the attorney.

In her interview with Abdul, Bolduan opened by asking: "Abdul, you said that you and your family need to get out of the country immediately. Have you been threatened by the Taliban?" Confirming in the affirmative, Abdul recounted how just earlier that day, during a visit to the provision store, he noticed two or three Taliban members were following him. Abdul then reportedly ran for quite a while to be able to escape them eventually. The incident however had left him pretty shaken. 

“I don’t know how long more should I handle this,” Abdul told the presenter, adding: “I have a wife and two young kids. We will all be killed if the Taliban find us.” Revealing that he hasn't been able to sleep for a week to guard his family, Abdul revealed they "live in fear every day", adding that once the Americans left, their lives were "over.” He also claimed that the Americans “have signed our death sentence."

Bolduan then asked, "At this point, do you think it’s now a matter of days before something tragic happens to you and your family?" Abdul responded saying: "It is not just a matter of days, it is a matter of seconds, you know, minutes, hours. Anything can happen to me.” Revealing that he was yet to hear from the American officials about being safely evacuated from the country, Abdul also told of his many futile attempts of going to the Kabul airport. “I tried many times, but everybody is shooting at us,” he said. “I need something, you know, to happen soon. I need somebody to take action soon, you know, to get me out of here.”

Bolduan asked Abdul, “If you could get a message to President Biden tonight, what is your message to him?” asked Bolduan. And the helpless man pleaded: "I’m asking him, to the US government, to please save me and my family, and the Afghan interpreters who worked for your country." His voice cracking, Abdul asked: "Are you going to leave us here to die? Please, I am begging you. I am begging him, I’m begging America, please help us.”