Nottingham school helps family trapped in Afghanistan return to UK
Members of a Nottingham family who were trapped in Afghanistan have made it back to the UK after being helped by a local headteacher.
Nargas Ziahe, who’s 24, flew out with her 5-year-old brother Omar, her 9-year-old sister Asma, and their mother following the death of a relative - and to visit her sick grandfather.
Though they were soon caught in the midst of the Taliban takeover.
They spent almost two days without a bed or washing facilities on the outskirts of Kabul, surrounded by Taliban fighters who carried and fired AK-47 assault rifles into the air, before managing to make it safely to the Baron Hotel where their repatriation paperwork was processed.
Their safe exit from the Afghan capital was helped by the headteacher of Mellers Primary School in Radford, Amanda Dawson, who worked with Nottingham South MP Lilian Greenwood to allow passage out of the country.
Raghib Ziahe, 48, the father who remained in Nottingham, worked with Amanda and Ms Greenwood to get his family home. He says they landed at Birmingham Airport this morning (August 23rd).
Mr Ziahe thanked Amanda for all her help throughout the past few days.
He also praised the British Army for their support at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul who have helped thousands board military flights out of the country.
Amanda said the news was somewhat "bittersweet" as just four had arrived home, with many still out there waiting on evacuation.
The family who did make it over must now spend 10 days in quarantine due to Covid restrictions.
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