'I shouldn't be forgotten' - the Afghan translator trying to flee with the help of his Welsh friend

• Video report by ITV Wales reporter Jess Main

An Afghan translator who is trying to flee the country with the help of a friend in Wales says he won’t give up on his hopes for safety, despite already being turned away by troops at Kabul airport. 

Ahmad - not his real name - was turned away on Thursday, after he claimed he was told he did not have the correct documentation.

He said, "they just rejected me, and they said I don't have enough papers and documentation and my email is not complete."

"I was sent out from that area with my heart broken into pieces".

"I’ve been trying my best, I’ve done everything I can to get out of here but I don’t know why it just didn’t happen."

The Afghan national was also caught up in the deadly suicide bombing at Kabul airport on Thursday, which killed more than 170 people, including 13 US troops.

He has worked as both a translator for British troops, and an activist for women's rights, but he told ITV News he is now a Taliban target.

He said, "I have received threats from them".

"I’ve been trying to hide and trying to be safe as much as I can. I’m trying my best for that and most of the time I’m trying to change my locations. I don’t want to stay in one location for more than one or two days so this is how I am currently." 

Describing witnessing the deadly attacks on Thursday, which killed more than 170 people, including 13 US troops, Ahmad told ITV News, "it was the most horrible day of my life".

He said, "I've never been into such a horrible scene, it was just a metre away from me."

Despite all that he and countless others have endured over the past few days Ahmad tells us he will not give up, and feels grateful to be alive, now he says he needs support.

He said, "I shouldn't be forgotten, I shouldn't be left behind. I need them to think about me, our lives are also valuable."

In Wales, his friend Anna Prince has been doing all she can to help him find safety.

The pair struck up a friendship online, and Anna says she will not give up hope that he can escape Afghanistan alive.

"I'm hoping we can get my friend and his family out, if we don't then I'll just keep fighting until we can try another way".

She said, "if he goes silent for more than an hour we're worried because we don't know if they've caught him or not".

"He helped our troops and he helped other countries' troops we can't just leave them there it's not fair".

• Some, but not all of those who were to be evacuated, made it out of Afghanistan as the last British evacuation flight left Kabul airport, ITV News US Correspondent Emma Murphy reports

The final dedicated UK evacuation flight has now departed Kabul, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed.

Almost 15,000 people have been evacuated since August 13, but hundreds of Afghans who helped the UK during the war have been left behind and face the dangers of Taliban rule.

Further flights leaving from the airport would be able to carry evacuees but the focus is now on evacuating UK diplomatic staff and military personnel as the operation winds down, marking the end of 20 years of British involvement in Afghanistan.

General Sir Nick Carter, the Chief of the Defence Staff said it was "absolutely heartbreaking" that the UK "can't bring everybody out".

He said, "Personally, I've probably had over a hundred messages from different Afghans who I know, in my long association with the country, and many of those, friends of mine, won't make it out."

"For me, not a day passes without me having a tear in my eye about all of that".

A Government spokesperson said it was not able to discuss individual cases, and that it was with "deep regret", not everyone has been able to be evacuated."

They said, "The UK Government and the Armed Forces have carried out an enormous operation to evacuate over 15,000 people in 14 days during Operation PITTING."

“We will continue to honour our debt to all those who have not yet been able to leave Afghanistan. We will do all that we can to ensure they reach safety and apply for ARAP from third countries.”