As U.S. winds down evacuations from Afghanistan, local Afghans fight to get loved ones out

ATLANTA — With the clock winding down on on the August 31 deadline for evacuees to flee Afghanistan, dozens of local people are fighting to get their loved ones out of the country.

Thousands of Afghans and hundreds of Americans are still trying to escape Afghanistan.

Loved ones of many of these people held a rally Saturday in Woodruff Park to help shine a light on those who are desperate to get out.

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Georgia woman Safa Delery says her nights have been sleepless since the Taliban took over Afghanistan nearly two weeks ago.

“It’s hard to see this. It’s like PTSD all over again, she told Channel 2′s Ashli Lincoln.

Delery says she has been working since then to get her three brothers, ages 7, 9 and 11, to America.

“I literally told them to go to the airport. I plead to them to go stay at the airport, not to realize that there is chaos, there is chaos, and they couldn’t do it anymore,” she said.

After many unsuccessful attempts to fly out, her brothers left the Kabul airport just one day before the bombings that killed 13 U.S. service members and nearly 200 civilians.

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Khatul Jamshidi says she is trying to help her family like countless others.

“I feel like our people are always the last ones,” she said.

Organizers of Saturday’s rally say the focus is on finding ways to get thousands of refugees out of the country.

But many families are feeling hopeless with just days left to get them out.

President Joe Biden has been firm that the evacuation process would not slow after the bombings. 4,000 people were evacuated from the country on Friday, bringing the total to more than 109,000, according to the White House.

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Governor Brian Kemp has said he does not think there should be a deadline on evacuations.

“We need to stay vigilant and help the people in Afghanistan, mostly the women and the children,” he said.

Supporters are encouraging those who want to help to donate to Catholic charities or Etharr, a Muslim organization that helps refugees find housing once they are able to escape the country.

Local charities working to help relocate Afghan refugees coming to metro Atlanta Metro Atlanta is designated as an official refugee relocation, especially in and around the city of Clarkston.

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