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'I was tortured by the Taliban' – Newbury interpreter fears for wife in Afghanistan




The wife of an interpreter living in Newbury has failed to escape Afghanistan and is now on the run from the Taliban.

Omar (not his real name) has told of his heartbreak on learning that his wife had been unable to board the last evacuation flight, despite having a British visa.

Previously our sister publication, the Newbury Weekly News, reported how Omar himself had been kidnapped and tortured by the Taliban.

Omar (51000895)
Omar (51000895)

They had discovered he was a valued interpreter for both British and US forces in Helmand province.

The 30-year-old told how he was kidnapped after leaving a party, bundled into a car and driven to a secret location where he was brutalised.

The Islamist insurgents cut off his ear and sent a video of the brutal act to his family in order to extort a ransom.

He had to flee the country for his life and, with the help of Newbury MP Laura Farris, obtained visa for his wife.

But the country fell to the Taliban before she could leave.

She had been among the throng at Kabul airport, which was bombed by terrorist group Isis-K.

Despite having a visa, she was physically unable to get through the wall of humanity.

Omar said: “She did not make it out and now she is living in fear because, as my wife, she is a target.

“My entire family has had to flee the family home in Kabul.

“My brother also helped British forces and my father was an army officer.

“Their only option is to keep moving.”

Omar said he believes that Taliban assurances that there will be no reprisals against those it perceives as enemies are worthless.

He added: “The Taliban managed to get access to British embassy files so they’ll have our email addresses and everything.

“Slowly but surely they will find everyone they seek and then they will kill them.

“They gave the same assurances 20 years ago and look what happened.

“They are trying to show a certain face to the world because they want to persuade others to help them.

“But everyone in Afghanistan knows the truth.”

Omar said his family’s last remaining hope was to flee across the border into Pakistan.

But he added: “The border with Pakistan is now closed and relations with Afghanistan are very bad.

“Laura [Farris] has been very kind and has always tried to help, but I fear for my family. I feel very bad.”



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