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Afghan refugees mark one year in U.S.
It's been just over a year since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, forcing thousands of families to flee the country and try to begin a new life in other places, including in New York City. FOX 5 NY spoke with one refugee to learn about how he and his family have been adjusting.
NEW YORK - 364 days ago Abdul Bahar and his family arrived in the United States from Afghanistan.
They were among the thousands of Afghan evacuees at Kabul airport last summer trying to escape the Taliban forces.
"We were one of the lucky people that were able to escape from the Taliban regime and get inside Kabul airport, said Bahar.
But not before a failed attempt. Two days prior his family tried to get inside the airport but after hours of waiting, they were turned away.
Abdul worked for the U.S. government for 8 years as a translator and feared for his life and his family.
"When I was working with the U.S. government forces, three times I received threats through telephone calls, letters," he said.
He remembers August 26, 2021 as if it were yesterday.
"The moment I enter Kabul airport before boarding the aircraft, my expression, my feelings cannot be described, it’s like you return the soul back to a dead body," says Abdul.
They flew into Washington D.C. from there they were taken to Fort McCoy army base in Wisconsin, one of the military bases across the nation that was turned into refugee camps for thousands of Afghans as they awaited resettlement.
Three months later the Bahar family would begin their new lives in New York City, all thanks to Catholic Charities. Catholic Charities helped them find an apartment in Queens, where they are currently living. They are on their own now, able to pay their rent and work.
Abdul is a deliveryman for Amazon, while his children are enrolled in school and his oldest child is also working.
He says this past year has been more than he could ever expect. Although he's in a new country, he feels welcomed.
The family has applied for asylum and as they await the outcome of their case, they do it with freedom and without fear.
"Here in the United States there is humanity, civilization, and rule of law, these things you cannot find in a third-world country like Afghanistan, I feel much secure and more free," he told FOX 5.