Sadiyah
Roshana, a Task Force Argo member, came to know about Sadiyah’s family and their plight through social media calls for information on American citizens in harm’s way in Kabul in mid-August 2021. Sadiyah and her immediate family were Hazara Americans who had lived in the United States for 25 years. They returned to Afghanistan in early-August for a family wedding, only to face the horror of Afghanistan’s sudden collapse and Taliban takeover. Sadiyah and her family were trapped in Kabul with their US passports.
Roshana submitted Sadiyah’s family to multiple avenues of evacuation, including Department of State, Department of Defense, and volunteer organizations. Sadiyah received an invite from the Department of State to report to the Hamid Karzai International Airport; however, she and her family were unable to get through the gates due to stampeding crowds and aggressive Taliban checkpoints. In one of many desperate attempts to get into the airport, Sadiyah’s young son was beaten unconscious by Taliban thugs. The Taliban was searching from door to door for her family, forcing her entire family of 26 people to pile into two SUVs and rove around Kabul searching for safe shelter. Roshana discovered she could evacuate Sadiyah, her husband, and her children easily due to their American citizen status; however, Sadiyah would have to leave the rest of her family behind. Sadiyah refused.
For several days, Sadiyah’s family roamed Kabul in their SUVs and found a different safe house to shelter in each night. Roshana persuaded Sadiyah to break her family into smaller groups. Her extended family decided to escape into Pakistan, leaving Sadiyah, her husband, children, parents, and siblings to attempt to gain access to the airport once again. Roshana discovered a new entry point to the airport that was guarded by the Taliban, forcing families to go through a wall of Taliban fighters in order to pass through to the airport. Sadiyah and her family were terrified, fearing they would be beaten or worse for being both Hazara and American. Roshana stayed on the phone with Sadiyah as they navigated Taliban questioning and negotiated their entry with a Taliban commander on their behalf. Roshana was able to convince the Taliban to let Sadiyah’s siblings and immediate family through, but the Taliban refused to allow Sadiyah’s parents to pass. Sadiyah had to make the excruciating decision to leave her parents, both SIV holders, in order to save the rest of her family.
Sadiyah, her family, and over 100 other American citizens were kept in a Taliban containment area for 10 hours without food or water. Finally, at dawn, the Taliban left and one of the American citizens found a way to access the airfield. Roshana contacted the US Military members guarding the airfield to find and rescue the 111 Americans walking on foot just inside the airport perimeter. The US Military successfully picked up all 111 Americans and sent them back to the US on military flights within 24 hours. Sadiyah and her family kept in touch with Roshana and sent her pictures of them safe and happy in the US. Sadiyah sent her heartfelt thanks, as shown in the touching screenshot of her communications with Roshana below.
Sadiyah’s parents are still stranded in Afghanistan.
