Afghan reflects on ‘disastrous’ day the Taliban took control of his country

Eid Mohammad Sultani, who was in Kabul on August 15 2021 when the group captured the capital, recalled the screaming amid the chaos of a day he finds it difficult to think about.

The 40-year-old also spoke of his joy at reaching England in November 2021, describing his family as having been “saved”.

He has since been helping other Afghans who came to the UK for safety, visiting them in so-called bridging hotels while they try to find accommodation to settle in.

In an interview with the PA news agency, Mr Sultani said: “The 15th of August was a disastrous day when we were in Kabul and the Taliban suddenly took over.

“Everybody was screaming, shops were being closed, banks were being closed, offices were empty.

“It was such a hard day, it is hard to think about, especially for those who witnessed it.”

Mr Sultani, who worked in automotive management services, travelled to Islamabad, Pakistan, with his family on October 10 2021 before reaching Oxford, England, the following month.

“That was actually the happiest day for us,” he said.

“We got saved.”

Mr Sultani and his family stayed in a hotel for five months, and credited the council for having taken “care of us”.

“They provided some toys for the children, they encouraged us to do some studies and I used my time there to volunteer as a school passenger assistant, which was a big achievement for me,” he said.

The role involved him taking children to and from school and the hotel.

Mr Sultani described forging his new life in the UK, which he said had to be done quickly despite the “dark days” he and others had lived through.

“The UK was only a picture for us in the past life for years and years on the screen, but when I moved things changed,” he said.

“I had to leave my home and wanted to stand on my feet – I didn’t like to be on Government benefits, but it was also sad because we had been through such dark days and there was such a short time for me to get a job.”

Mr Sultani was offered a house in Oxfordshire in May 2022 and now works part-time for Ocado, alongside looking after his family.

He also began volunteering with community interest company Bridge to Unity shortly after leaving the hotel and helping with a Government scheme called Find Your Own Accommodation, which tries to empower Afghans to source their own accommodation.

“We have travelled to many cities and been encouraging and helping Afghans to find their own homes”, Mr Sultani said.

“We have been passing on the Government’s message about the closure of bridging hotels and hearing the voices of immigrants.

“I know my Afghans – some of them are pretending to be happy, but they want to be able to work and pay their own rent.”

Mr Sultani said he is “concerned” about the end-of-August deadline for Afghans to leave bridging hotels, and hoped it could be extended “because it can be a struggle to understand how housing works in this country”.

He praised English people as “actual angels” for the help and support he had received, with one of his friends here – Alan Derry – helping him and his family with food and toys and guiding Mr Sultani through things including passing his driving theory test.

But Mr Sultani said he and many of his fellow Afghans still have fears for loved ones who remain in their home country, saying: “I wish I could do something to bring them here.

“I’ve got my brothers over there, my nephews, my nieces and my brothers-in-law who I am really concerned about.

“They have to keep changing locations and are constantly seeking help and we stay in touch two to three times a week, it’s the worst situation for them to be in.

“It is not just me – every Afghan here will have family members in Afghanistan that they will want to move to the UK or another country where they can be safe.”

Reflecting on the situation that faces the thousands still stuck in Afghanistan, he said that “schools are shut and there is no autonomy or government”.

“I don’t want to call what they have a government – it’s actually a terrorist group that has taken power,” he added.

“I hope that those staying in Islamabad (in Pakistan) get their visas and can move to safety as quickly as possible and I want the Government to pay attention to this immigration process.”

The Home Office has previously said it is continuing to provide “extensive support to all those in hotels”.

A spokesperson added that this support is “backed by £285 million of new funding to speed up the resettlement of Afghans into permanent accommodation, with many councils using this to provide deposits, furniture, rental top-ups and rent advances, among others”.