SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — "In this short amount of time, there is no way we can get everyone out of the country," shared Faisal.
The San Diego man preferred to omit his last name, for fear of his safety and that of his family. He has been watching helplessly from thousands of miles away after learning his family has not been able to leave Afghanistan.
“They are not living there, now they are in survival mode," explained Faisal. "We have to help them.”
Faisal is from Afghanistan and fled the country after working with the U.S. military for five years. While he lives in San Diego, his relatives are currently in Kabul, after they have made five unsuccessful attempts to come to the US.
Now Faisal is worried for their safety after Wednesday's explosions at the airport.
“It’s literally like it looks, like I am standing on an island surrounded by my parents and brothers and sisters and the only difference is that I am safe here," expressed Faisal. "And the rest of them are drowning.”
Last night was the only night Faisal's family did not go to the airport, but Faisal shared with ABC 10News, graphic video shot by his friends who were visiting their family in Afghanistan.
“They are extremely scared," recalled Faisal of his conversation with his friends who managed to escape the airport. "They feel hopeless and helpless, especially with the deadline we received that by the 31st all the troops have to be out.”
Faisal shared that an extension on evacuation may help ease the minds of those overseas. However, given the tense circumstances retold to him by his friends and family, he has asked his family to stay put.
“At those checkpoints, the Taliban beats them, shots them, if anyone tries to record they shoot at them," Faisal said. "It is a suicide mission trying to go to the airport now.”
Now he is asking for any aid in moving troops and Afghan allies quickly.
"They somehow served us," said Faisal. "They tried to help that country, and that didn’t work and now all of their lives are at risk.”
