Local couple stranded in Afghanistan flee to safety; Modesto town hall set for Thursday
A couple with ties to Modesto who had been hiding from Taliban fighters fled Afghanistan Tuesday, while dozens of other locals stranded in Kabul apparently haven’t been as lucky.
Also, a town hall meeting for anyone seeking information on the crisis and efforts to bring loved ones to safety is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday at a Modesto church.
The Modesto Bee on Monday published the story of 32-year-old Sam, who feared for his life when the Taliban took control Sunday because he had helped U.S. agents. On Tuesday, Sam and his wife reached part of the Kabul airport controlled by U.S. military, and they flew to safety in Qatar, he said in texts and audio clips.
Sam — not his real name — came to a new life in Modesto a few years ago, became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2019 and relocated to the Bay Area. Despite years of effort, his wife had not received a special immigrant visa; her application will be processed in Qatar, said a spokesman for U.S. Rep. Josh Harder of Turlock.
Harder’s office now advocates for 158 people in limbo, 36 of whom appear to live in or near Modesto. A small number received priority status by the National Visa Center, a Harder spokesman said Wednesday, but the congressman’s people know of no others besides Sam and his wife who were able to flee.
The Taliban pledged in a press conference Tuesday to allow people to leave the country who had cooperated with the group’s American enemies, and thousands have traveled out since. But many place little trust in a regime that harbored Al Qaeda and sponsored public executions and amputations and outlawed women’s rights before the U.S. invasion 20 years ago.
A Harder aide specializing in repatriation will present updates at Thursday’s town hall, held in cooperation with World Relief Modesto, a group relocating people from Afghanistan since 2012, and Modesto Junior College.
The 6 p.m. Thursday town hall will be held in an outdoor meeting space at New Hope Christian Fellowship, 300 Trask Lane in Modesto. Questions should be submitted before the gathering to World Relief’s Sarah Williams at 209-345-6417.
Interpretation will be offered in Dari, the most widely spoken language in Afghanistan. Participants are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets for seating.
A Harder webpage devoted to the crisis is harder.house.gov/Afghanistan-Evacuation-Resources, and Modesto Junior College established another.
People wanting to help incoming Afghanis can contact World Relief Modesto at its website, its Facebook page or by calling 209-491-2712. Donations can be made to the International Rescue Committee at rescue.org.
