Afghanistan: Welsh woman trying to help translator flee Kabul

An Afghan translator who said he "fears for his life" is trying to flee the country with the help of a friend in Wales.

Anna Prince, from Barry, Vale of Glamorgan became friends with Ahmad - not his real name - on Facebook, where they spoke about art and literature.

He said he feared his time working as a translator for British and US troops has made him a target for the Taliban.

He has also taught English to women and children in Afghanistan.

"From the first day they [the Taliban] entered Kabul I was truly scared," Ahmad said.

"Before their entrance in Kabul I also received threats from them.

"They said we're going to find people to educate women and who are translators, and we're going to find them and we're going to behead them."

Ahmad said some of his best friends in the village he was originally from had been killed by the group.

"They were my colleagues and they killed them for nothing," he said.

"Because they were educated and they did translation in the past with foreign troops."

When the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan during the 1990s, Ahmad fled the country with his family and sought refuge in Pakistan.

He returned home many years later.

He said there were as many as 40,000 people at the airport all trying to leave Afghanistan.

"Even those with visas, green cards or British passports could hardly get through the crowd and get into the airport," he said.

"Everybody is desperate to leave because they know if they don't leave, they will kill us - they will kill us like animals."

Ahmad claimed he had seen Taliban fighters shooting at women, and had heard of women and children being killed by them.

He said he had been against US and British troops withdrawing from Afghanistan, as he believed his country was not ready.

Ahmad said leaving the house was now a terrifying experience.

"I truly fear in my heart and my mind," he said.

"When I left the house, I started to feel my body trembling. I fear now or a few seconds later they will catch me, they will stop me."

Ms Prince has asked politicians in Vale of Glamorgan to help ensure safe passage of her friend out of Afghanistan.

"I would give up every worldly possession if I could help just one person over there," she said.

"I'm going to do whatever I can."

While some may want to stay in Afghanistan, the UK had a duty to help those that did not, said Anna.

"Imagine just uprooting your whole life leaving everything behind," she said.

"They have cars, they have jobs.

"He had a good life and wanted to make a good life, but now that's all being ripped away from him."