Afghans who arrived in Germany on Wednesday (18) described terrifying scenes at Kabul airport before their evacuation. Now they fear for the lives of family members they have left behind in the country.
Shortly after landing in Frankfurt on a flight from Tashkent, Uzbekistan, men, women and children recalled the journey of the few who were evacuated by NATO members (the alliance Western military) after the country was taken over by the radical Taliban group with incredible speed.
“We had to force our way through and my grandson fell. We were scared, but we succeeded,” a woman said in German. “An American then showed good will and realized that we were completely exhausted. He took the passports and said he had to verify that they were genuine. Others behind us were crying and lying down. on the floor. I was scared. “
She, her son and her husband were on the first of several flights organized by Germany to rescue Afghans threatened by Taliban insurgents, having worked for the NATO armies or for organizations funded by the West.
One woman was wiping away her tears, another was talking on her cell phone, and men were sobbing as they hugged German relatives and friends who had come to greet them. None of the few who spoke to reporters mentioned names or what they were doing in Afghanistan for fear of reprisals against those close to them.
“Everyone wants to go out,” said the woman’s husband, also in German and carrying the child. “Every day is worse than the last. We ran away, but we couldn’t save our families.”
German Prime Minister Angela Merkel told a meeting of the Christian Democratic Party on Monday that the country may have to grant asylum to some 10,000 Afghans who have worked with the German military and development agencies, as well as to human rights activists and lawyers.
Opposition legends in Germany have criticized the government for failing to foresee the fall of Kabul and for what they say was a failed military enterprise since 2001 that has cost billions of euros and the lives of 59 soldiers from the country. The far-right Alternative Germany Party (AfD) called on the government to put in place a moratorium on asylum claims and deal with Afghan civilians in neighboring countries like Pakistan.
At Frankfurt airport, a young Afghan man in a red and white jacket said how happy he was to be in Germany. “The anxiety was huge because my whole family is still there,” he said. “It wasn’t easy to leave them behind and come here. Part of me is still there. I’m very emotional, but other than that I’m fine, thank goodness.” A girl next to her parents said in German: “When the soldiers opened fire, it was not good, because everyone got scared and started screaming.