Afghan interpreters who worked for Canadian Forces say families still at risk

Canada AM: From Afghanistan to Ottawa Maryam Sahar Naqibullah, former interpreter says she saw the importance of the mission and wanted to help the people who helped her country.

They risked their lives to help the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan.

Now, the Afghan interpreters who immigrated to Canada say Ottawa should also be doing something to help their family members, who are still under attack in their war-ravaged country.

Sayed Sharifi is among the few interpreters who managed to start a new life in Canada. He now lives with three roommates in Toronto, but says he constantly fears for his family members back home.

“Last year, the Taliban attacked my family, the vehicle of my brother, and killed five members of my family," he told CTV News.

Sharifi and other combat interpreters became targets once Canada started wrapping up its military mission in Afghanistan. Branded by the Taliban as traitors, the interpreters were left unprotected and had to flee their homeland.

Under intense public pressure, the federal government ultimately allowed some of them to immigrate. But critics say that Ottawa’s Afghan visa program isn’t broad enough and should include interpreters’ family members who are at risk.

“If they have older children, siblings or parents that are under threat, then consideration should be given to allow them to immigrate to Canada as well," said Jack Harris, NDP’s defence critic.

So far, the family members have not been considered for immigration, leaving Sharifi and his roommates, who all work multiple jobs, with regrets.

Sharifi now says he wishes he’d never worked with the Canadian Forces.

“Because if I didn’t work with them, I wouldn’t face any problems,” he said.

Sharifi said the Taliban have said they will never stop trying to attack him or his family members.

His roommate Hasham Mohammad, who also worked for the Canadian military, said it’s very difficult to be separated from family.

“We have left everything back home,” he said.

With a report from CTV’s Peter Akman