Welsh Afghans feel 'hopeless' as family fear for their lives under Taliban rule

• Video report by ITV Wales News Rural Affairs Correspondent Hannah Thomas

Afghans have spoken of the 'hopeless' situation their families face at an emotional community meeting in Cardiff on Saturday.

Men and women met with MP Stephen Doughty in a desperate attempt to get clarity on the options available for their loved ones trying to flee the country.

As the American military presence in Afghanistan has reduced, Taliban forces have regained control of the country.

Now, people are attempting to leave the country, fearing for their lives under Taliban rule.

There have been chaotic scenes at the capital Kabul's airport, where women have passed babies to soldiers over barbed wire in an attempt to escape.

At a consultation with the Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Doughty, who worked on and visited Afghanistan under the previous Labour Government, Cardiff residents shared their fears and frustrations about the UK Government's handling of the evacuation of the Afghan people.

Storay Sayeed, whose brother and sister and worked for the now collapsed Afghan Government, told ITV Wales that she was not feeling very hopeful after the meeting. She believes Afghanistan will return to the Stone Age under the Taliban.

'Please help the Afghan people,' she urged the Government, 'Afghan lives matter.'

'My family are in hiding, the Taliban started house searches, searching for them.'

'I have pain, I can't tell you, I am suffering. I couldn't sleep for the last 7, 8 days, my heart is melting.'

Speaking about her brother, sister and father in Kabul she said 'I can't do nothing for them, I think I am very useless sitting here safe and sound but can do nothing. My family's dying there.'

Another man whose wife and child are in Afghanistan told the MP that he is now so desperate to see them again, that he wants to travel to the country to be with them.

'It is clear that more resource is needed to be put into the evacuation effort, the evacuation effort needs to go on as long as possible and we need clear channels of communication. It's extraordinary today that a number that the government has put out, is not even functioning this morning. I've tried to phone that number and you can't even get it to ring. We are letting down Afghans in literally a life or death situation.'

Mr Doughty told those at the meeting that he would try to help with specific cases. But he was also honest about how his personal power over the situation was limited.

US troops are due to leave Afghanistan for the last time at the end of the August. There are calls for the UK evacuation effort to continue after that, but others doubt the country will continue to be safe for UK personnel once the Americans have left.

The UK Government has promised to help 20,000 Afghans come to Britain in the next five years.

A spokesperson said: 'So far the UK has secured the evacuation of 1,615 people since Saturday, including 399 British Nationals and their dependants, 320 embassy staff, and 402 Afghan nationals under ARAP. The UK is doubling the amount of humanitarian aid to the region, up to £286 million with immediate effect.'

Councils in England, Scotland and Wales will have access to a share of £5 million to help them provide the necessary housing and support to Afghans who have worked for this country in Afghanistan.