6 members of Afghan family living in North Texas stranded in Kabul

By KTVT Staff

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    RICHARDSON, Texas (KTVT) — Fayda Shinwar and other members of her family sit in Richardson and wait.

They are just one of many Afghan Americans and refugees now living in North Texas. Shinwar’s father Abdul, stepmother Nadia, younger siblings Simir, Morsal, Zuhell and Hijah are all in Kabul visiting family.

“I mean we’re scared. We don’t know if they are going to be able to make it home… so we are terrified,” said Shinwar.

The images of panic and disarray on the streets of Kabul on the tarmac of the city’s airport only add to their stress. Now with a collapsed Afghan government and the Taliban in control for the first time since US-led forces removed them in 2001, Shinwar’s family is trapped. They had planned to leave in two days.

“The information we were given in the West was this was going to be fine until September, that there wasn’t going to be this big takeover, and not as drastic as it has been,” said Shinwar, who is communicating with her father and has reached out to the state department.

While it’s true the US planned on completing its withdrawal by September 11, after two decades of war, and billions of dollars, the Islamic militants have taken over. Afghanistan has fallen.

The Taliban has promised to restore peace and security and enforce their own version of Sharia, or Islamic law, once in power. But in the past, the Taliban introduced or supported punishments in line with their strict interpretation of Sharia law – such as public executions of convicted murderers and adulterers, and amputations for those found guilty of theft. Men were required to grow beards and women had to wear the all-covering burka. The Taliban also banned television, music and movies, and disapproved of girls aged 10 and older attending school. They have been accused of various human rights and cultural abuses since emerging in the early 90s.

Shinwar, and others like her do not want to history repeat itself, especially while their families are in the middle of it being written.

“I mean, we just want them home. That’s it. Anyway possible. I’m just scared for their safety,” she said.

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