A British family in Afghanistan for a wedding tells of the terrifying ordeal trying to escape the country

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Saberullah Zahiri, from Hounslow, west London, and 12 other family members who traveled to Kabul from Heathrow Airport for a wedding and while trying to escape were violently attacked by the Taliban

The family flew from Heathrow to Afghanistan for a wedding (

Photo: Sky News)

A large British family who was threatened, held at gunpoint and beaten by the Taliban while visiting Afghanistan for a double wedding, has now arrived at the safety of British soldiers.

Saberullah Zahiri, from Hounslow, west London, and 12 other family members traveled to Kabul from Heathrow Airport in late July for a double wedding in the Afghan capital in early August.

But chaos has engulfed Kabul since the Taliban seized power last Sunday and members of the Dhahiri family were violently attacked by ISIS soldiers as they tried to flee the country.

The family, who traveled to Afghanistan with children aged two to eight, had been scheduled to leave last Monday, but their trip was cancelled.

Mr. Al-Zahiri’s brother, Abdul Wajid, told Sky News: “We tried to go for the flight, but the Taliban attacked us, and they hit me with an AK47 pistol in the middle of my chest and I fell to the ground. My uncle was also hit.”

Family members were violently attacked by the Taliban (

picture:

Sky News)

The family returned to the apartment, and a number of Taliban militants visited the house and asked the owner of the apartment, Ajmil Habibi, Zahiri’s uncle, to evict the family.

“The Taliban came to the house and said, ‘Why are you keeping these guys in your house?’ They came from the UK and ‘you should kick them out’,” Zuhairi said.

On another occasion, Taliban elements confiscated the family’s car.

Zuhairi told Sky News: “They told me you have to give me the key. I said ‘Why, it’s my private car and not the government’s car?'” ‘ And they said ‘We don’t care’ so they pointed a gun at my head and I said ‘Okay, take it’.

Saberullah Zaheeri and 12 members of his family are stranded in Afghanistan

picture:

Sky News)

According to the Hounslow family, they received a call from the embassy on Thursday to head to the airport. However, on their way, they were stopped by armed Taliban soldiers and they were beaten.

They made their way to the airport again the next night, this time managing to escape the Taliban and gaining access to the concrete walls around the airport.

But they were frightened by hearing reports of dozens of Afghans killed after being crushed in chaotic scenes outside Kabul airport as civilians desperately tried to flee the crisis-torn country.

Taliban soldiers beat some family members with their weapons (

picture:

STRINGER / EPA-EFE / REX / Shutterstock)

The family spent hours trying to make their way through the crowds, finally reaching the front of the queue in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Mr. Zahiri and the twelve others, relieved to see members of the British Army, showed their passports and were allowed to pass. They are now safely at Kabul airport and waiting for the flight back home.

Mr Zuhairi said: “We are very happy now that we are out and we are looking forward to returning to the UK. Everyone wants to escape this country.

“They all hate this country; and in my opinion this country is over, and it will never be the same as before.”

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