KU student helps family in Kabul, Afghanistan flee after Taliban takeover
By CAROLINA CRUZ
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LAWRENCE, KS (KCTV) — Weeks after the collapse of the capital city of Kabul in Afghanistan, many families are still trying to get settled into their new cities as refugees.
Baset Azizi, a senior at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, worked days to get his family to safety in Abu Dhabi. Azizi’s parents and three sisters will fly to the United States in a military plan and then settle in Kansas in the next two weeks.
Azizi grew up in Kabul, where he attended school near the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The government building was a target for the Taliban.
Azizi experienced many bombings during his childhood. At 16 years old, Azizi came to the U.S. to attend music school in Michigan. After graduation, he was accepted by the University of Kansas School of Music.
Over the summer, Azizi was a congressional intern in Washington D.C. He, along with many lawmakers, were monitoring the situation in Afghanistan as the U.S. withdrew troops from the area.
Before the Taliban gained control in Kabul, Azizi was already working with his parents to gather paperwork to prove that his father worked with U.S. Army and Navy troops. The family stayed home for nine days following the Taliban’s takeover because they feared for their safety.
After nine days, the family had the proper paperwork and was given clearance to go to the Kabul airport to evacuate. Azizi worked with members of Congress, friends, and anyone who was willing to help him process paperwork to get his family out of Kabul safely.
“I still remember days I had my breakfast at 9 p.m. because I had no time to, you know, to mess around or just go have a meal or drink water,” recalled Azizi.
The family left most of their belongings behind when they evacuated Kabul, including a fully furnished house, pictures, and money (because the banks were shut down). Since the refugee resettlement process takes time and money, many in the Lawrence community and beyond are stepping up to help support the family through a GoFundMe.
Azizi says he always hoped of returning home to Kabul, but doesn’t know when that will be possible again.
Additional Information on the Azizi Family GoFundMe is available here.
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