A small group of Vancouver-based Afghan-Canadians are scrambling to help their countrymen and women after the fall of Kabul.

Shortly after U.S. forces withdrew from the country and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled, the Taliban swept into Kabul Aug. 15. Thousands of Afghans who were once promised safety by foreign governments were left stranded in the country, vulnerable and unable to escape.

Former Afghan journalist Zahra Hashemi, who left Kabul for Vancouver six years ago, immediately formed a group amongst her friends to assist both refugees and Afghans stuck in the country. She said one of her concerns is how the federal government is identifying the 20,000 refugees it promised to bring into Canada.

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Women and children are at particular risk , she said, adding she has family and friends in the country.

含羞草研究社淭o be honest, they are terrified.含羞草研究社�

To make matters worse, Hashemi said the media isn含羞草研究社檛 portraying an accurate image of what含羞草研究社檚 happening on the ground.

含羞草研究社淭hey含羞草研究社檙e trying to normalize the existence of the Taliban in Afghanistan but it含羞草研究社檚 not actually like that,含羞草研究社� Hashemi said, adding that the terrorist organization is going 含羞草研究社渄oor-to-door含羞草研究社� and harming people.

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含羞草研究社淚 received voice messages from not my family, but my friend含羞草研究社檚 family, they were begging their uncles to come and take them because the Taliban just took one of their family members. She was like 13, 14 years old. It含羞草研究社檚 terrifying. I含羞草研究社檓 talking about it and I含羞草研究社檝e got goosebumps.含羞草研究社�

Speaking to photographs and videos of Afghan含羞草研究社檚 clinging to American planes as they left Kabul, Hashemi said the memory of Taliban control in 1996 is still fresh.

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含羞草研究社淭hey don含羞草研究社檛 trust them because they have the experience. This is what happened last time when the Taliban took over. They were OK for a month or so but then they started to show their real faces. It含羞草研究社檚 something they have experienced and that含羞草研究社檚 why they are terrified.含羞草研究社�

Hashemi said her small group, which was only formed on Sunday, are looking to expand. Many of the Afghans applying to become a refugee don含羞草研究社檛 speak English, and Hashemi said her group needs help assisting Afghans through the process.

Another focus of the group, she said, is assisting refugees once they arrive to Canada.

含羞草研究社淐anada is not prepared for this many refugees because there was a decision made very quickly by the government. We含羞草研究社檙e trying to participate in this process and do as much as we can here because we cannot do anything in Afghanistan.含羞草研究社�

To help Hashemi and her group, email samanahashimi4@gmail.com.

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