WASHINGTON — While Republicans and Democrats in Washington clash over who is to blame for the botched withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, many evacuees who have been resettled across the U.S. worry about those left behind.

While the world watched the collapse of Afghanistan’s government in real time, Ashiqhusain Meshwani experienced it firsthand.

“[I] was one of the last people to leave Kabul because we were securing the airport,” Meshwani told Spectrum News through a translator. 

The front lines were all Meshwani knew for a while. He joined the Afghan National Army Special Forces when he was just 13 years old and joined the fight against the Taliban alongside the U.S. Army until the former disbanded.

“We spent about nine to 10 years with the U.S. Army,” said Meshwani. “So I didn’t go to school at all.”

When the U.S. began its final withdrawal in the summer of 2021, Meshwani, his wife and his children qualified for way out through America’s Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program. It was a bittersweet opportunity for him, as he knew he couldn’t take everyone with him.

Meshwani shows a picture taken of him in uniform during his time serving in the Special Forces in Afghanistan. (Spectrum News 1)

“[I] left behind [my] parents and siblings. In addition to that, [I have] friends from college that work with the U.S. Army, but they are now still in Afghanistan,” said Meshwani. “They are really at risk, and they are struggling a lot to come here, but they cannot.”

Meshwani left Afghanistan for Germany, where he and his family stayed for four weeks before they made it to America. He was one of nearly 13,000 refugees based at Fort McCoy in Monroe County, Wisconsin, before he was resettled in Madison.

Abdul Saboor Akbazai had a similar journey to the states. 

“We stayed in Fort McCoy for about three months,” said Akbazai through a translator. “It was not bad, but we had some issue in the beginning because we were new to the culture, to the country, to the society, and we are not able to speak English. But there were some interpreters that were helping us.”

Akbazai was eligible for a SIV about one month after his brother was killed during a fight with the Taliban in Afghanistan. Since coming to Madison, he’s been supporting his late brother’s wife and kids in addition to his own family.

“We are trying our best,” he said.“We are trying our best,” he said. “Since we can not speak English, we are just working for some companies here in their overnight, second or third shifts.”

Mohammad Rahim left for America with his wife and children one month before the last troops left Afghanistan. He said he had to leave his parents and siblings behind. And while they seem to be fine, they’re struggling to make ends meet.

“They have no job, no income, so the poverty is at a high level,” Rahim said through a translator.

Rahim joined the war against the Taliban when he was 16 years old. He’s now worried those ties could still endanger his family abroad.

“Because of our history working with the U.S. government, [the Taliban] is threatening my brothers,” he said.

The fear of retaliation still looms over all three men nearly two years into their fresh start. But they said the help they got along the way was invaluable.

“Jewish Social Services (JSS), they helped us a lot with the settlement here,” said Akbazai. “[JSS] found housing for us and paid our rent for about five to six months.” 

They said that’s just a snapshot of the local organization’s generosity. Following the mass exodus from Afghanistan, JSS resettled more than 160 refugees from late 2021 through 2022. Around 70 were Afghan evacuees. The nonprofit received $250,000 in federal funding this year.

Kai Gardner-Mishlove, JSS executive director, said that money will go to new housing for incoming families.

“In Dane County, we face a lot of challenges related to availability and affordability of housing,” said Gardner-Mishlove. “And so for new families coming in, this is really going to be a game changer.”

Beyond game-changing, Akbazai, Rahim and Meshwani said they believe those resources have been life-changing. They said every little bit of support they get from the community helps as they're still adjusting to their new lives.

“We’re also hoping for a brighter future for our kids since they’re going to schools here now and they’ll get a good education,” said Akbazai. “We’re just hopeful for that.”

It’s the prospect of a better life they said they wish for those still in Afghanistan, too. They said they hope that the U.S. Army will return one day to free Afghans — especially those who fought alongside the U.S. — who want to flee Taliban rule.