An Afghan interpreter is now settled and safe in San Diego after fleeing his home in Afghanistan less than a month ago.
“When they came it was very happy because they tried to build Afghanistan back," he recalled, of the United States military. "And our kids can go to school, and we had nice roads, we could spend money on the businesses it was a really nice thing.”
This Afghan interpreter, who we are naming "John" for his safety, worked side by side with the US for 12 years. He said he never expected things to turn so quickly.
In an interview with reporting partner 10News, he said conditions before he fled are unlike anything he could imagine, “I don’t want my kids to die like the way people are dying there, every day someone dies again.” He wanted to find a better life for his 3 kids, after fleeing a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
“My family are there my brothers are there and I worry about them also, and my kids also same thing, if I was there, I am sure they would kill me or my family," he said. "Right now my brothers and my family are trying to escape from my house, and every day they are changing their location.”
He and his family are now receiving assistance from Amna Sanctuary, which is a local nonprofit in San Diego. John said it's all thanks to the help of the San Diego community.
(Photo Getty Images)
Photo: AFP via Getty Images