A woman in Afghanistan I’m going to call “W–” has extensive connections with a USA NGO and, therefore, she must get out of Afghanistan. W– is trying to get the rest of her family out as well. Here’s what happened to W–’s husband and one of her daughters when they went to the passport office in Kabul, as told to me by someone affiliated with that NGO:
A long-time family friend of W–‘s family said he had a friend at the passport office that might be able to help get W-‘s family passports, which some in her family do not already have. W–‘s husband and B– (female), a dear family friend, and B–‘s father all went together to the passport office to see what they could find out.
There were several different lines at the Kabul passport office: one for people who needed a passport for getting medical care in another country, one for those who were renewing their passport, one for those who have already applied, and one for those who were applying for a new passport. B–, her father and W–‘s husband were in this line.
Two Taliban singled the three out in the line – they approached the three and asked them several questions, including if they had documents or cell phones with them. They hadn’t brought anything with them – they were in line just to talk with the friend and see what they needed to do. When the three said they didn’t have any documents or phones with them, the Taliban took the three out of line and put them in the back of a covered truck/van. They put hoods on them so they couldn’t see where they were going and bound their hands in something metal – handcuffs or chains, they aren’t sure.
One of their cousins happened to be at the passport office at the same time, standing in the line for people who had already applied for a passport. He saw what happened and called W– immediately, so she would know what was happening.
The Taliban took the three to an unknown location and put them in a small room. They aggressively questioned W–‘s husband about why he was with B– when he wasn’t a relative. They beat W–‘s husband badly. B– told the Taliban they had know this man for many years and he is like a family member. She asked them not to hurt her father because he has a heart condition. They hit her father anyway, on his shoulder and upper arm with an electrical metal cord. The beating left marks on his arm. They also beat B–, apparently on her back. B– later said the beatings of B– and her father weren’t “too bad” but W-‘s husband was beaten badly.
(stunned to hear a beating being described as “not too bad.”)
After 18 hours, the Taliban let the three go, probably because they had no proof against them for whatever it was they wanted to accuse them of.
The three went to W–‘s empty in-laws house so they wouldn’t be at their actual home in case the Taliban followed them. The Taliban did, indeed, follow them to the home and entered the house asking where the rest of the family was. B– didn’t know and said so.
Why were B–, her father and the friend singled out to be questioned and taken away? B– said it seemed like the Taliban knew something about the family, but they didn’t accuse them of anything specific. The family has all been repeatedly told to hide all of their documents that show one of their family member’s connection to the U.S. in a place no one can find, and they have done so.
While B– was in custody, her husband took their three young daughters to his parents’ house and went to look for B–. He hasn’t resurfaced so they don’t know where he is.
W– and her family will return to their home in the next day or two. No one knows what will happen now.
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