A small group of Vancouver-based Afghan-Canadians are scrambling to help their countrymen and women after the fall of Kabul.

Shortly after U.S. forces withdrew from the country and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled, the Taliban swept into Kabul Aug. 15. Thousands of Afghans who were once promised safety by foreign governments were left stranded in the country, vulnerable and unable to escape.

Former Afghan journalist Zahra Hashemi, who left Kabul for Vancouver six years ago, immediately formed a group amongst her friends to assist both refugees and Afghans stuck in the country. She said one of her concerns is how the federal government is identifying the 20,000 refugees it promised to bring into Canada.

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Women and children are at particular risk , she said, adding she has family and friends in the country.

香蕉视频直播淭o be honest, they are terrified.香蕉视频直播�

To make matters worse, Hashemi said the media isn香蕉视频直播檛 portraying an accurate image of what香蕉视频直播檚 happening on the ground.

香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檙e trying to normalize the existence of the Taliban in Afghanistan but it香蕉视频直播檚 not actually like that,香蕉视频直播� Hashemi said, adding that the terrorist organization is going 香蕉视频直播渄oor-to-door香蕉视频直播� and harming people.

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香蕉视频直播淚 received voice messages from not my family, but my friend香蕉视频直播檚 family, they were begging their uncles to come and take them because the Taliban just took one of their family members. She was like 13, 14 years old. It香蕉视频直播檚 terrifying. I香蕉视频直播檓 talking about it and I香蕉视频直播檝e got goosebumps.香蕉视频直播�

Speaking to photographs and videos of Afghan香蕉视频直播檚 clinging to American planes as they left Kabul, Hashemi said the memory of Taliban control in 1996 is still fresh.

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香蕉视频直播淭hey don香蕉视频直播檛 trust them because they have the experience. This is what happened last time when the Taliban took over. They were OK for a month or so but then they started to show their real faces. It香蕉视频直播檚 something they have experienced and that香蕉视频直播檚 why they are terrified.香蕉视频直播�

Hashemi said her small group, which was only formed on Sunday, are looking to expand. Many of the Afghans applying to become a refugee don香蕉视频直播檛 speak English, and Hashemi said her group needs help assisting Afghans through the process.

Another focus of the group, she said, is assisting refugees once they arrive to Canada.

香蕉视频直播淐anada is not prepared for this many refugees because there was a decision made very quickly by the government. We香蕉视频直播檙e trying to participate in this process and do as much as we can here because we cannot do anything in Afghanistan.香蕉视频直播�

To help Hashemi and her group, email samanahashimi4@gmail.com.

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