Afghan Interpreter Escapes Taliban WEB
Metadata
- Afghan Interpreter Escapes Taliban WEB
- May 10, 2022
- Content Type Package
- Language English
- Transcript/Script English FOR USAGM SHARE ((PLAYBOOK SLUG: Afghan Interpreter Escapes Taliban (TV) HEADLINE: Afghan Interpreter Eludes Taliban Checkpoints to Escape into Pakistan TEASER: Lands in US, and is showered with American dollars by friends PUBLISHED AT: 05/10/2022 at 8:35am BYLINE: Carolyn Presutti CONTRIBUTOR: DATELINE: Seattle, Washington VIDEOGRAPHER: Saqib Ul Islam VIDEO EDITOR: Saqib Ul Islam PRODUCER: SCRIPT EDITORS: BR, Jepsen VIDEO SOURCES: Original, courtesies PLATFORMS: WEB _X_ TV _X_ RADIO __ TRT: 2:54 VID APPROVED BY: mia TYPE: TVPKG EDITOR NOTES: A companion web version will also be available)) ((AFGHAN TV EDITORS: Pashto language SOTS also available)) ((ANCHOR INTRO)) [[Even though the U.S. evacuated some 116-thousand Afghans last August when the Taliban took over the country, tens of thousands of Afghans who had worked for the U.S. military or government were left behind. They were eligible for Special Immigrant Visas because of their work during the almost 20-year war against the Taliban. Evacuations of SIV holders continue, but only a few at a time. One of the fortunate ones to leave recently is an interpreter first profiled by VOA last year. VOA’s Senior Washington Correspondent Carolyn Presutti brings us the story of how he finally got out.]] ((NARRATOR)) Najeebullah can’t believe what he sees in the Seattle air. His first snow. He calls his home to tell his children to look outside. ((Nat of him speaking Pashto)) ((NARRATOR)) It’s one of many firsts for a man who thought he’d be dead by now. ((July, 2021)) ((Mandatory Skype logo)) “The Taliban” ((NARRATOR)) When VOA first spoke to Najeeb last July, he was targeted for death by the Taliban because he was an interpreter for U.S. Special Forces. We did not reveal his face or real name. ((July 2021)) ((Mandator cg: Skype)) “They tell me they know my place, where I am staying and they are coming after me.” ((Courtesy Najeebullah)) ((NAT at abbey gate --- use Najeeb’s cellphone video and pix Carolyn uploaded)) ((NARRATOR)) Outside the Kabul airport, Najeeb’s toddler was knocked unconscious in the chaos as they tried to escape. The family of seven was left behind as the final American planes left Afghanistan. The family returned to their home in Jalalabad. ((Najeebullah, Interpreter Who Escaped Afghanistan)) “At that time, I was completely hopeless.” ((NARRATOR)) ((courtesy Jason Coombs)) Without the government’s help, Najeeb’s former officers ((courtesy Stuart Farris)) stepped in with personal money, as did the nonprofit ((courtesy No One Left Behind)) No One Left Behind. ((end courtesy)) But as a wanted man, Najeeb had to find a way to get his family past 12 checkpoints to return to the capital. ((Najeebullah, Interpreter Who Escaped Afghanistan)) “They are looking for me, they don’t know my family. So I’d get out of the car and go around the checkpoints — 30 minutes to 45-minute walk around.” ((NARRATOR)) ((courtesy Najeebullah)) The family flew out of Afghanistan and waited in Pakistan for their Special Immigrant Visas. ((courtesy No One Left Behind)) Then last month, ((courtesy: Joshua Trujillo)) finally touching down on U.S. soil, they were greeted by Americans and American money. ((courtesy No One Left Behind)) ((Najeebullah, Interpreter Who Escaped Afghanistan)) “It looked like a dream but when I get to the states and see my friends here, now I believe I made it.” ((Nat of working)) ((NARRATOR)) Najeeb, an electrical engineer by trade, has found work at a friend’s house. He plans to return to school for a certification. He’s not the only one headed to school. ((Najeebullah, Interpreter Who Escaped Afghanistan)) “Her name is Sahar she’s three, three and a half years old. This one’s name is Abobakar he’s six years old, my other son…” ((NARRATOR)) His five children have missed a few years of school. Because of COVID, then because of the Taliban’s restrictions on girls. But here, ((Najeebullah, Interpreter Who Escaped Afghanistan)) “They can do anything they want, anywhere they want to go. They will be free forever.” ((NARRATOR)) ((nats)) And Najeeb is now free to go anywhere, too, even as he looks over his shoulder. It’s another first. His first drive with a U.S. license … steering his life freely, without death threats. ((Carolyn Presutti, VOA News, Seattle, Washington))
- Transcript/Script FOR USAGM SHARE ((PLAYBOOK SLUG: Afghan Interpreter Escapes Taliban (TV) HEADLINE: Afghan Interpreter Eludes Taliban Checkpoints to Escape into Pakistan TEASER: Lands in US, and is showered with American dollars by friends PUBLISHED AT: 05/10/2022 at 8:35am BYLINE: Carolyn Presutti CONTRIBUTOR: DATELINE: Seattle, Washington VIDEOGRAPHER: Saqib Ul Islam VIDEO EDITOR: Saqib Ul Islam PRODUCER: SCRIPT EDITORS: BR, Jepsen VIDEO SOURCES: Original, courtesies PLATFORMS: WEB _X_ TV _X_ RADIO __ TRT: 2:54 VID APPROVED BY: mia TYPE: TVPKG EDITOR NOTES: A companion web version will also be available)) ((AFGHAN TV EDITORS: Pashto language SOTS also available)) ((ANCHOR INTRO)) [[Even though the U.S. evacuated some 116-thousand Afghans last August when the Taliban took over the country, tens of thousands of Afghans who had worked for the U.S. military or government were left behind. They were eligible for Special Immigrant Visas because of their work during the almost 20-year war against the Taliban. Evacuations of SIV holders continue, but only a few at a time. One of the fortunate ones to leave recently is an interpreter first profiled by VOA last year. VOA’s Senior Washington Correspondent Carolyn Presutti brings us the story of how he finally got out.]] ((NARRATOR)) Najeebullah can’t believe what he sees in the Seattle air. His first snow. He calls his home to tell his children to look outside. ((Nat of him speaking Pashto)) ((NARRATOR)) It’s one of many firsts for a man who thought he’d be dead by now. ((July, 2021)) ((Mandatory Skype logo)) “The Taliban” ((NARRATOR)) When VOA first spoke to Najeeb last July, he was targeted for death by the Taliban because he was an interpreter for U.S. Special Forces. We did not reveal his face or real name. ((July 2021)) ((Mandator cg: Skype)) “They tell me they know my place, where I am staying and they are coming after me.” ((Courtesy Najeebullah)) ((NAT at abbey gate --- use Najeeb’s cellphone video and pix Carolyn uploaded)) ((NARRATOR)) Outside the Kabul airport, Najeeb’s toddler was knocked unconscious in the chaos as they tried to escape. The family of seven was left behind as the final American planes left Afghanistan. The family returned to their home in Jalalabad. ((Najeebullah, Interpreter Who Escaped Afghanistan)) “At that time, I was completely hopeless.” ((NARRATOR)) ((courtesy Jason Coombs)) Without the government’s help, Najeeb’s former officers ((courtesy Stuart Farris)) stepped in with personal money, as did the nonprofit ((courtesy No One Left Behind)) No One Left Behind. ((end courtesy)) But as a wanted man, Najeeb had to find a way to get his family past 12 checkpoints to return to the capital. ((Najeebullah, Interpreter Who Escaped Afghanistan)) “They are looking for me, they don’t know my family. So I’d get out of the car and go around the checkpoints — 30 minutes to 45-minute walk around.” ((NARRATOR)) ((courtesy Najeebullah)) The family flew out of Afghanistan and waited in Pakistan for their Special Immigrant Visas. ((courtesy No One Left Behind)) Then last month, ((courtesy: Joshua Trujillo)) finally touching down on U.S. soil, they were greeted by Americans and American money. ((courtesy No One Left Behind)) ((Najeebullah, Interpreter Who Escaped Afghanistan)) “It looked like a dream but when I get to the states and see my friends here, now I believe I made it.” ((Nat of working)) ((NARRATOR)) Najeeb, an electrical engineer by trade, has found work at a friend’s house. He plans to return to school for a certification. He’s not the only one headed to school. ((Najeebullah, Interpreter Who Escaped Afghanistan)) “Her name is Sahar she’s three, three and a half years old. This one’s name is Abobakar he’s six years old, my other son…” ((NARRATOR)) His five children have missed a few years of school. Because of COVID, then because of the Taliban’s restrictions on girls. But here, ((Najeebullah, Interpreter Who Escaped Afghanistan)) “They can do anything they want, anywhere they want to go. They will be free forever.” ((NARRATOR)) ((nats)) And Najeeb is now free to go anywhere, too, even as he looks over his shoulder. It’s another first. His first drive with a U.S. license … steering his life freely, without death threats. ((Carolyn Presutti, VOA News, Seattle, Washington))
- NewsML Media Topics Arts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
- Network VOA
- Embargo Date May 10, 2022 09:20 EDT
- Byline Carolyn Presutti
- Brand / Language Service Voice of America