They fought for freedom, both theirs and ours. Now they are counting hours and minutes in fear for their lives
Kabul, August 15, 2021. The scorching sun cannot begin to compete with the feverish tidal wave of panic engulfing the city. NATO troops are leaving in chaotic alarm and many Afghans are desperate to leave together with them.
I vividly remember my own astonishment and anger that day, and how closely I was following the situation on X. I still feel the pulverizing disappointment at the incredible sight of the world’s strongest military power unexpectedly withdrawing and – just like that and on one single day, in an absurd torrent of haste and chaos – creating a phantasmagoria of misery for all those left behind. Until then, hopeful that their homeland was evolving into a country of free people – what must they have felt?
On the day that Kabul fell
‘Yes, it was very disappointing,’ admits Daoud (not his real name), lieutenant colonel in the Afghan Air Force during the period of the American and NATO war with terrorists. ‘It was a chaotic, rushed, and shameful evacuation.’
The
situation came as a surprise not only to many observers round the world, but also
to the Afghan military who had closely cooperated with Americans and the
Western troops.
‘To be
honest, I never believed that the US would give up their control over the entire Afghanistan. My personal calculation was that a peace agreement would be implemented,’ Daoud adds.
Daoud is one of many Afghan military officers who worked together with the Western forces in their war against the terrorists, only to subsequently be left behind. Why did he not leave that day, on August 15, now four years ago?
‘Decisions
about the evacuation process were in the hands of the Americans and of corrupt
Afghans. Many people were taken out of Afghanistan using fake documents. Eighty
percent of those evacuated by the US had fraudulent papers, which is why Trump
suspended the process,’ Daoud says.
Whilst his
wife and eight-year-old son were in a safe place far from Kabul, he was braving
the midst of it, helping those desperately attempting to escape the incoming
regime.
‘I have
always been, and still am, deeply patriotic, and I never even considered
becoming a refugee. On the day Kabul fell, I was at the airport, where Afghan
pilots were fleeing to Tajikistan and Uzbekistan with their planes, but I
refused to leave. I secured the perimeter with another officer, who is now in
the US, because the soldiers had fled. I had never considered seeking refuge
before 2021 and never wanted to leave my country. But circumstances unfolded
differently, and now I have no choice but to leave.’
Watching
the tragic events of August 15, 2021 I was painfully aware of the fact that
it was the American administration that helped stir up the jihadist movement in
Afghanistan in the late 1970s, initially backing the islamist groups in Iran,
watching them infiltrating Afghanistan and then using them in their duel with
the Soviets1. The Soviet fiasco in Afghanistan was an important
factor in dismantling the Communist imperium, bringing freedom to the numerous
nations choking under the Soviet yoke. But it was Afghanistan that paid the
price.
Modernizing Afghanistan
At the dawn of the 20th century, the Central Asia nation, made up of over thirty ethnicities2, began a process of modernization. Emir Habibullah Khan, ruling from 1901 until 1919, undertook considerable efforts to bring modern medicine and technology to his country, he also initiated some progressive reforms and established both a military academy and the elite Hababiya High School, whose graduates have constituted Afghani ruling elite ever since. But it was his successor, King Amanullah Khan, that stepped up the process of radical reforms.
His modernization followed a Western pattern, encompassing a wide range of spheres: politics, law, education, administration, language, and culture. He established numerous schools all over the country, made primary education obligatory, and paved the way for a comprehensive education for women. He would even send Afghani young people abroad for education, such as a group of girls sent to Iran in order to study medicine. His radical reforms (including changing traditional dress codes and abolishing veils for women) elicited backlash in a traditionally-minded society. Successive rulers abolished many, but not all, of the reforms. In 1931, the University of Kabul was established.
After World War 1, Afghanistan became the subject of the Great Game between Britain and the Soviet Union, the influence of these competing powers fostered further modernization, which stepped up again in the 1950s and 1960s3, and continued to an extent in spite of bitter internal conflicts.
In the early
eighties prime minister Babrak Karmal initiated a wave of further democratic
reforms, including secular state, free speech and equal rights for women. But
as he was supported by the Soviet Union, America decided to back
traditionally-minded mujahideens. And even though many of them later fought
against the conservative Taliban that captured Kabul in 1996, the reforms were
stopped; soon to be revoked.
Then came
September 11th, and later the NATO troops chasing terrorists in their
Afghan lairs. The Taliban retreated before another wave of westernizing
reforms. A friend of mine, Agnieszka Wójcik (she is now married, changed her
name and is far away again), visited Afghanistan at that time as an artist. She
organized workshops for Afghan women interested in creative arts, while also
learning from them. I remember her stories of their fear of the frequent
terrorist attacks and of the return of the Taliban, who were residing in
Kandahar in the southern part of the country.
Failure
Twenty years of the direct Western presence in Afghanistan – and it didn’t work. Why?
‘Throughout
our country’s three hundred year history, no substantive change – whether
positive or negative – has occurred independently of external influence,’ Daoud remarks. The well-educated, brilliant lieutenant colonel is an exceptionally
analytical mind. ‘There exists a prevailing mindset that grants the government
the authority to dictate citizens’ lives, extending even to personal matters,
such as a spouse’s attire. For a transition toward genuine democracy, the
society must first cultivate awareness and critical consciousness. Entrenched
religious influence continues to dominate, and until the society liberates
itself form this hold, authoritarian regimes will persist in maintaing control.’
Still,
twenty years – one generation – seems like time enough to change this mindset,
or at least create elites that would continue the process initiated over one
hundred years ago.
Daoud has
his own theory. Americans betted on the wrong horse, ignoring the sympathies of
the Afghans.
‘I firmly
believe that the US should have built a stronger governmental system and
allowed the Afghan people themselves – those who were raised in that land and
had the capacity – to take the lead. Instead, the US consistently empowered
corrupt figures, individuals who lacked the trust of the people and had no
respect within our society.’
A young man
named Hamdullah Mohib may be a case in point. ‘He graduated from a university
in the UK, then spent two years as a secretary to a high-ranking official,
after which he was appointed ambassador to the US, and later became the
National Security Advisor. At this rapid pace, without any real expertise or
experience, he intervened in virtually all of the country’s security ministries
and nearly dismantled the entire military structure. This is just a small
example of the mistakes that had been made,’ Daoud says.
According to the global index of happiness, today's Afghans are the most unhappy people in the world.
The
lieutenant colonel attaches importance to honesty and integrity and lives
according to these values. ‘During the highly corrupt previous Afghan
government I held a senior, highly qualified position and never engaged in
corruption, because I valued my humanity over money.’
He has been married for twelve years and has one son. This is unusual in Afghanistan where it is culturally admired and a source of pride to have many children.
‘I believe a generous heart can feel the joy of parenthood through any child in the world, and that instead of having multiple children, we can help orphaned and vulnerable children.’
Throughout
his military service, Daoud regularly gave part of his salary to support
working children and he says it gave him deep personal satisfaction.
The working children of Afghanistan
‘Yes, child
labor in Afghanistan is unfortunately common and this has always strongly
affected me,’ says Daoud. ‘Children work in construction, in brick kilns,
carrying loads with handcarts, and they even work in mines. Over the years,
several reports have been published documenting sexual abuse of children while
they are working.’
Child work
is also Daoud’s personal experience, during the first Taliban period when he
was still a child, he had to work. ‘My father was pursued by them – his
story is now repeating itself for me. So at that time, I was also working. For
this reason, I have always empathized deeply with working children.’
The
necessity of working to provide for their families is not the only burden that
the Afghan children bear. As many as 3.2 million of them face severe
malnutrition; too many are dying of hunger. The spectre of hunger is brooding
over Afghanistan. Afghani women beg on the streets, to save their children from
death from starvation4.
‘They are left to beg for food – while
no aid is dropped from the skies by China or Arab countries, and on the ground,
their cries go unheard. The world watches, silent and indifferent, a glaring
testament to global hypocrisy. Meanwhile, the outcry over famine in Gaza is
driven not by humanity or concern for children, but by hostility toward Israel,’ Daoud opines.
As a seven-year-old,
Daoud was responsible for providing food for his family. Every morning, he went
seven kilometers to his shop, where he used to sell car parts and petrol. Even
though there were many similar shops around, his income was usually higher.
Hopefully,
one day we will be able to read about it – he started writing a book about his
experiences as a working child in Afghanistan, but has not yet completed it.
‘Now my mind is not at peace.’ Let us wait until he finishes his book, once his
family and he are safe.
Danger
The situation of Daoud is dire. The new rulers are after him. ‘They are not joking. We witness every day the military officers being killed,’ Daoud says.
Safe
housing is a matter of to be or not to be. He lives in hiding with his wife and
his son, his parents; dispossessed of their own house, his two
sisters, and two brothers with their families. Both of his brothers were in the army and
their situation is not good either.
‘One of my
brothers was imprisoned and tortured for six months.’ Daoud, however, is in far graver danger than his
brothers. ‘I was one of the key members in planning airstrikes.’
His brother escaped to Iran, under someone else’s name, on a passport arranged by
his father, but was expelled and now lives in hiding too.
‘He has no
chance for asylum, because he never worked with foreign forces. If even one of
us had a safer situation, we would not be in this disastrous state right now.’
Since that
fateful August of 2021, while waiting for his asylum cases to be processed in
the US or the UK, Daoud has been struggling to survive daily. In January, their
hopes were crushed by Trump’s decision to suspend the refugee admissions
program. Daoud understands the President’s motives, he realizes how many people
entered the US on fake documents. Still the disappointment is huge because
Daoud and his family were in the final stages of being approved for
resettlement to the US. Now they risk losing their safe housing due to high
costs.
‘Being left
homeless would expose me to danger. I have not been able to leave the safe house for months, and my
son has been out of school for four years.’
Costly safe
housing is not the only problem. They need to eat, pay for water and
electricity, buy medicines and basic necessities. There are days when there is
not a single penny in the house. The pensioners and
veterans have been deprived of their monthly payments, and for four years now his father has not
been getting his pension. In a country, where many people are starving,
prices are rising, but unable to leave the safe house, Daoud cannot earn for a
living.
Family
Daoud’s twelve-year-old son misses his school.
‘He would
like to go out and play with friends, but he cannot. So I help him at home with
learning English, mathematics, and computer skills. I myself have also been
learning English at home through self-study methods since 2021.’
Daoud did
not know English while working alongside American, British and Australian
pilots and military personnel. ‘We used an interpreter.’
Learning
and teaching, mathematics and languages is something of a family legacy.
Daoud’s father is a retired teacher, or rather – a paragon of a teacher, with
fifty years of full-time teaching experience in Afghan schools. Now the elderly
gentleman has nowhere to live, as their family house was seized.
‘At that
time, he had secretly established a home school to teach girls, since they were
not allowed to attend regular schools. For this, he was pursued and forced to
flee and go into hiding,’ Daoud reminisces. That was the period when the
seven-year-old Daoud had to take up the role of the breadwinner. ‘My father is
now eighty-three years old and still suffers from the fact that girls have once
again been denied the right to education. He is an honorable man with
exceptional human principles, and I have learned many things from him in my
life. He always taught me about honesty and that I must strive to remain human
even when the world is in chaos.’
In addition
to his two brothers Daoud has also four sisters. Recently his eldest sister5, working
as a tailor and very poor, paid for a medical examination of a girl suffering
from terrible pain. She gave away the money she had earned for weeks of her
tailoring work.
Their
mother is a housewife and never worked outside the home.
‘She is a
kind woman who prays for me day and night and sheds tears over the situation I
am trapped in.’
Daoud’s
wife owes her education… to her own husband.
‘She
attended school for four years but never learned to read, and she eventually
left. Later, I began teaching her at home and now she is able to read and write
in our Pashto language.’ Daoud’s situation is particularly unbearable because
of the misery that his wife has to suffer.
‘She too
lives a life similar to that of a political prisoner alongside me, under something
like house arrest. It is clear that she does not find any joy in these
circumstances.’
Daoud
The other day, when I tried to communicate with Daoud, he sent me pictures of… his ECG and of some medical prescriptions.
‘After days
of effort, I finally managed to get my heart ECG today,’ he explains. ‘I’ve
been experiencing severe chest pain for the past few days, with a sharp,
stabbing sensation. I was uncertain whether this pain is cardiac-related or
stemming from a gastrointestinal issue.’
His ECG
does show an abnormal heart rhythm, but at the same time it seems to confirm
there is no underlying heart problem. The doctor suggested that the chest pain
is likely due to stress and anxiety. And added that further examinations are
needed, ones that are not available there.
‘I was able
to obtain this single ECG only through meticulous planning and effort. This
housing situation has truly disrupted my mental and emotional well-being. I
might be able to endure even the most hellish circumstances myself, but I cannot
bear to see my family trapped in such a state.’
Thinking
how to survive still another day in his own country and how to provide daily
food for his family is not necessarily the perfect occupation for a lieutenant
colonel, a lawyer, an international relations expert and a charismatic leader.
Daoud, born during the mujahideen rule, in the years of the NATO mission earned his bachelor’s degree in law
from the National Military Academy of Afghanistan, and his master’s degree in
international relations from the Afghanistan University, which is a private
university. He subsequently worked every day as a part-time lecturer of
Political Science at the private Khana-e-Noor University in Kabul, after
finishing his daily duties in the Air Force.
While in the Afghan National Army, he quickly became influential thanks to his erudition and learning.
‘I could
easily defend an officer against any injustice. I also saved dozens of my
friends and comrades from death traps. In the Afghan National Army,
institutional capacities were limited, and I possessed a strong foundation
through independent study. I was entrusted with drafting speeches for the Chief
of Staff and the Minister of Defense, which afforded me considerable influence
within the institution. My rapid promotion to the lieutenant colonel reflected
this impact, and had the government not collapsed, I was on track to become a
young general.’
In spite of corruption permeating the system, he never gave in to it.
‘I never
engaged in any wrongdoing, and always loved my country and its army.’
Daoud served
in the army in the airstrike planning division during their war against
the terrorists, in the period of the Resolute Support Mission. He worked
closely with U.S., U.K., and Australian pilots and officers, approving
thousands of airstrike packages. But since that fateful scorching Sunday of
August 15, 2021, he has been living in hiding together with his family in order
to stay safe.
‘They seized my home, and I spent all my savings from the military service on
safe housing and food, as I could not work due the threat against my life,’ Daoud says.
He
currently has active asylum applications in three Western countries, but the
bureaucratic process is slow and might well take another year or two. An
American friend of his, to whom he was introduced by his western colleagues he served with in
Afghanistan, launched a campaign on GiveSendGo, but unfortunately only those
who already knew him have contributed so far and despite sharing it on social
media, the campaign gained little attention.
In spite of threatening life conditions, Daoud’s analytical mind cannot but reflect upon complex issues troubling Afghanistan and today’s world. Issues such as hunger killing people in many countries, protection of civilian population during war, international organizations’ duplicity, or the plight of veterans in many countries.
‘I want to
understand the situation of veterans in Poland,’ he told me once. ‘In the
United States and the United Kingdom, hundreds of veteran suicides are reported
annually. It is very distressing to me that NATO member countries lose as many
veterans to post war suicides as dictators lose soldiers in war.’
He sent me
a short, but amazingly in-depth analysis of the US veteran suicide statistics
and shared a few reflections on the military leadership’s attitude to soldiers.
‘During my
time in Afghanistan, I observed a critical pattern: when veterans are
neglected, incoming soldiers quickly understand that their future mirrors the
fate of today’s veterans. Military leadership, particularly during wartime, often
proves unwilling to fully bear the human cost of conflict. By the later stages
of the war, many soldiers were reluctant to engage the terrorists, having
lost trust in their leaders and feeling abandoned. In addition, I reviewed
multiple cases in which widows of fallen soldiers were subjected to sexual
harassment while navigating administrative procedures for posthumous benefits.
Such practices had a profoundly detrimental effect on army morale and
operational cohesion.’
His mind is
constantly working on solutions.
‘It would
be excellent if NATO veterans had an organization beyond their own countries
that could lobby for them at the NATO-wide level. They do not receive the
attention they deserve.’
Let’s help them be free again!
‘I believe being human is a beautiful experience, but remaining humane in today’s world is increasingly difficult,’ remarks Daoud. ‘I did not celebrate or feel joy at the killing of Jewish children on October 7. For me, the measure of a person is not their religion or geography, but whether they have a kind heart and strive to remain human in these chaotic times. People like this are worthy of respect and love. I extend my friendship and gratitude to you from afar.’
How can we
help him and his family?
It is not
only a matter of the danger, the high costs of safe house and the need for
relocation to Pakistan, but also the everyday problems: food for fourteen people, including little children, costs of medical consultations – especially for the elderly parents, stripped
of all their possessions by the new rulers.
‘In the
best-case scenario, if everything goes well, my asylum case will take about a
year before I could possibly be given a chance to go to the US or another NATO country,’ Daoud says.
There might also be a worse-case scenario and the whole procedure might even
take two years. This puts his life in grave danger. ‘Here I am, literally
counting the hours. I have just been told to leave the safe house, but I have
no funds to secure another one. I am also struggling to afford food and
medicine.’
His
American friend Mark, to whom Daoud was introduced by his British colleagues, launched a
GiveSendGo campaign to raise funds for the safe house and for the cost of living. Even small monthly donations will be a huge help.
In my
opinion, the Western Community owes this to Daoud and his family. Yes, he did
fight for his homeland. But he fought for a free homeland – and
freedom is the value we cherish most. He fought for the right of the women to be allowed education and to pursue their professional careers, to choose the clothes they wear. He fought for the children, as well, to be able to go to
school and not be abused, exploited, or forced to work to provide for their families.
But Daoud also fought for the West: to free our world from terrorism. He served alongside
his western colleagues from the US, the UK, Australia, Poland, Germany, Italy,
France and other European countries, from Bulgaria through Portugal. He is one
of us, he is human – and he is in grave danger. Who else can help him but we,
caring for the one who worked with us not so long ago and because of this very
fact his life is now under threat?
Here is the
GiveSendGo site where we can help Daoud and his family survive in this
life-threatening situation:
https://www.givesendgo.com/help-afghan-ally-reach-safety
Here you can listen to an interview with Daoud, conducted in January 2025 by Sally Sara (an experienced foreign correspondent who worked also in Afghanistan) on Australia’s ABC radio:
You can follow Lt Col Daoud on X: https://x.com/A_Protest_Wave and read his new blog "Voices from Hiding", as well as his Substack posts at https://substack.com/@unbrokenpath.
“Rescue those who are being taken away to death,
And those who are staggering to the slaughter, oh hold them back!
If you say, 'But we did not know this,'
Does He who weighs the hearts not consider it?
And does He who watches over your soul not know it?
And will He not repay a person according to his work?”
The Book of Proverbs 24:11-12
Notes:
1 Michael D. Evans, “Father of the Iranian Revolution,” Jerusalem Post, June 20, 2007, https://www.jpost.com/opinion/op-ed-contributors/father-of-the-iranian-revolution
2 Pashtuns are the most numerous of
the Afghan ethnicities (according to different data they make up from 38% to
45% of the whole population; Tajiks, Hazaras and Uzbeks are also among the
biggest communities. The dominant religion of Afghanistan is presently Islam,
with 99% of the population declaring themselves as Muslim, most of which are
Sunnis. There are also very small communities of Sikhs, Hindus, Christians and
Baha’is.
3
https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2013/07/afghanistan-in-the-1950s-and-60s/100544/
4
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj35611ngyro
5 Daoud wrote an article about his eldest sister, published on Lazo Magazine website: https://lazomagazine.com/what-happened-when-one-woman-tried-to-escape-forced-marriage-in-afghanistan/
Media about Daoud and the Afghan allies of the US and NATO
Afghan allies continue to be betrayed
Beth Bailey (The Washington Examiner, Fox News) writes of the difficulties plaguing Afghan NATO allies: data breaches, deportations from Pakistan and Iran, many of them right into the hands of the present rulers, abducting family members to force them to give up their locations,
An example of their hopeless situation, found on X:
Beth Bailey interviewed someone on YouTube.
Associated Press: They helped US order airstrikes against terrorists. Now Trump's moves have left those Afghans in limbo
Daoud is one of them. “It’s an absolute stain on our national honor that we’ve pulled the rug out from under people who have patiently been awaiting relocation and those here in the US who have recently arrived,” said Shawn VanDiver, a Navy veteran and head of #AfghanEvac, a coalition supporting Afghan resettlement efforts. “This is an imminently solvable issue and our national security demands we fix it.”
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