Afghan Americans fear for family members in Afghanistan

NEW YORK - Anxiety, insomnia, fear—this is what Barry Yousufzai, his wife Homaira, and daughter Shama call their new reality when it comes to their family in Afghanistan. 

"Being a first-generation American living here and not being with them, I feel a little helpless," Shama said.

"They need calm and quiet in their life which is not possible for them to stay there," Barry said.

FOX 5 NY first spoke to Barry last week, the day after ISIS-K claimed responsibility for the deadly bombing at the Kabul airport. Barry had been holding out hope that his brothers, sister, niece, nephews, and uncles in Afghanistan would be able to escape.

"I am expecting 17 members of my family to get out by tonight to go to Mexico," Barry told FOX 5 NY on Aug. 27.

At their home in Flushing, Queens, the Yousufzai family couldn't go into detail but told us that escape never came to fruition. Now that U.S. troops have withdrawn from Afghanistan, they fear even more for the future of their family abroad.

"They are engineers and doctors. The Taliban really won't let them leave because they need doctors and engineers so they're trying to keep them there," Shama said.

The Yousufzais expect more sleepless nights ahead and won't stop worrying until they know their family in Afghanistan is safe.

Get breaking news alerts in the free FOX5NY News app | Sign up for FOX 5 email newsletters | Get the Fox 5 Weather App