Afghan woman in Halifax fears for family in Afghanistan with ties to army

An Afghan woman in Halifax says she is terrified for her family members who remain in the city of Kabul, including those who served in Afghanistan's military.

Zakiya has lived in Halifax for the past five yearsand she has tried relentlessly to gain sponsorship for her family to joinher in Canada.

CBCNews has agreed to only publish herfirst nameto ensure the safety of herloved ones who are in Afghanistan.

Zakiyasaidher father recently retired from the Afghan military. Two of her brothers also served, but they were forced into hiding after the Taliban takeover, along with her other family members.

There are fears the Taliban is targeting members of the Afghan army.

"If they [the Taliban] come into their home, they're going to kill all of them," she said.

Hope fading for rescue

Zakiya attended Wednesday's protest in Halifax calling forjustice inAfghanistan. She said she hopes events that draw attention to the plight of Afghanistan willbring her family to Canada.

But the attack on Kabul's international airport Thursday and the end ofCanadian evacuations haveleft her feeling lost and heartbroken for her family'swell-being.

Zakiya said she's beentold by family the Taliban has a list of women's names, and they go door to doorlooking for unmarried and widowed women.Girls as young as 13 are terrified they will be taken away bymilitants.

She said she worries for her niece who is a young woman living at home with her parents and her sister who is pregnant.

Limited communication

Zakiya has only heard sporadically from her family because of limited access to internetin Afghanistan, but she said she was in touch with one of her brothers earlier this week on a messaging app.

Heand13 otherfamily members had just made it toPakistan.

Even though they've escaped Afghanistan, Zakiya isn't positive her family issafe and how they willlive there.

"Police and government over there doesn'tlike our people," she said.

Her parents, two siblingsand their spouses and children remainbehind in Kabul.