Skip to main content

Former Afghan interpreter for CAF describes chaos at Kabul airport

Share

As many former Afghan interpreters for the Canadian military wonder if they'll be able to escape the Taliban, one man and his family were able to get on a plane, but their destination is unknown.

Fawad Ahmadzai was an interpreter for the Canadian Armed Forces, and this week he fought his way through airport gates to board a plane in Kabul.

"I had my Canadian passport. I was waving at them that I am a Canadian citizen," he told CTV News. "They were not even caring about which passport I carry, they would only push us and hit us, and shooting ahead of us, scaring us so that we could leave the ground."

Ahmadzai, his wife and four children didn't know where they would land, just that they were able to escape.

But others aren't as lucky. Max Sangeen was an interpreter for the Canadian Armed Forces, and now lives in Toronto, but his family is left behind. They’ve been sleeping outside the Kabul airport, his youngest child not even a month old.

"These guys have done all the paperwork, everything is done," he told CTV News. "My family, there is a child, born on July 26, just 20 days old."

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

BREAKING

BREAKING Sheldon Keefe out as head coach of Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired head coach Sheldon Keefe. The team made the announcement Thursday after the Original Six franchise lost to the Boston Bruins in seven games in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Local Spotlight

Stay Connected