Afghan-American Minnesota woman fears for her family members’ lives in Kabul

MINNESOTA (KVRR) – As evacuations continue in Kabul, a young Afghan-American woman said she’s praying her family will be one of the lucky ones able to escape.

“It is just so painful to see that the Taliban is ruling my country,” she told KVRR on Tuesday.

The woman, who is not sharing her name due to safety concerns, moved to Minnesota from Afghanistan in 2014 to continue her education. “I always wanted to come to the U.S. for my education,” she explained. She finished high school in Collegeville, Minnesota and attended Concordia College in Moorhead.

Her parents and eight siblings are still in Kabul, where she says the Taliban is not allowing them to leave their home.

“They’re the same Taliban who killed thousands of people. They’re the same Taliban who attacked high schools, colleges and killed these students. They’re the same Taliban who kidnapped my uncle, killed him and took my cousins.”

With limited electricity and Wi-Fi in Kabul, she’s only able to call her family every few days.

“They are literally just stuck at home right now. They are not allowed to go outside. They cannot even go outside. All the schools are closed, universities are closed. My dad, he cannot even go to work. Even water is on and off. It’s like, some days we do have water, some days we don’t.”

“I am worried about their life more than anything,” she added.

As an Afghan-American, she said she feels betrayed by how U.S. withdrawal from the region was handled.

“When the U.S. government did that, when my own government sold us out, I did feel betrayed. I feel the U.S. government could’ve done a better job.”

She is asking for the governors of North Dakota and Minnesota to help get her family out and for Americans to welcome Afghan refugees with open hearts.

A GoFundMe page has been created to help the woman’s family leave the country.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has said his state is open to welcoming Afghan refugees.

North Dakota Refugee Coordinator Holly Triska-Dally said there are no plans to bring Afghan refugees to the state.