'Our hearts are aching': Afghan community in Edmonton shocked as Taliban seizes power

Afghan-Edmontonians fear for family back home The news from Afghanistan is taking a toll on Afghan-Canadians. As Amanda Anderson reports, many worry about their family's safety.

EDMONTON — The worry on Sudaba Ibrahimi’s face is clear as more news from Afghanistan emerges.

Her brother, sister, and many family members remain in the country as the Taliban establish control.

She says that since her brother works in government he is already being threatened by the Taliban.

The worst part for Ibrahimi is knowing that ways out of the country are closing.

“Right now everywhere’s closed because of the Taliban,” she said. “Every border, every airport, everything is closed.

“I am glad that I am safe,” she added. “I also feel guilty about why I am not there with my family.”

Mohmmad Sana left Afghanistan with much of his family 25 years ago when the Taliban ruled the country. He fears that history will repeat itself.

“(I’m) very sad right now because I’m not sleeping,” he said. “I’ve seen before (that the) Taliban is very tough, you know, and bothering the people too much and killing people every day.”

His sister is a doctor there and says they were ordered to stay at home for the next few days.

“She feels very bad because she is crying right now saying, ‘What’s going on for my children, my family,’” Sana said.

Sana told CTV News how he has been calling his sister for the past two days, sometimes every half an hour to stay in touch.

“She is worried,” he said. “It’s very hard for them.

“I am so nervous about my sister and also for all Afghan people,” he added.

'IT IS UNBELIEVABLE'

Nafissa Aktary shared how she grew up in the golden age of Afghanistan before the Soviet Union’s invasion started in December of 1979.

“It’s very, very difficult for me,” she said. “All the girls (then), they had the opportunity to go to school, to go to university, to have the jobs they wanted.”

Aktary described how she secured a scholarship to study abroad in England.

“When you see now the situation that the girls and women are in, they don’t have the most basic rights,” she added. “It’s very hard to see.

“It’s a very hectic time and it’s painful to see your people just running for their lives.”

Aktary returned to Afghanistan after completing her studies and said she could not believe how much the country had changed during the Soviet invasion.

“I fled,” she said. “It may not have been the Taliban, but I left.

“My family lost everything,” she added. “Now is even worse than that time of the Russian invasion.”

Her daughter Sara added that she has heard friends in the Afghan-Edmonton community saying their own families are fearing for their lives or going into hiding.

“That sense of hope or independence that they once had is now taken,” Sara said. “It is quite heart-shattering to come to terms with that.

“This is real life somewhere in the world. It is unbelievable, truly.”

Sara said the worst part of the current situation is that many people believe it is nothing new for Afghanistan.

“It’s almost like there is a desensitization because whenever you think of Afghanistan, you think of war. It’s always been at war. Like isn’t this the same thing that is happening?

“But no. There was a golden age. There was a time where it was prosperous and doing well. There was fashion. Women were a huge part of society.”

For Aktary, the last few days have been nothing short of difficult.

“To see this situation is heartbreaking,” she said. “We are hoping for maybe something better.

“Our hearts are aching for everyone that is there.”

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Amanda Anderson