The two have lived together as housemates in one of the apartment units since their dramatic evacuations last month from the Afghan capital of Kabul, following the Taliban group’s swift capture of their country.

Words flow over each other as 29-year-old freelance journalist and interpreter Ahmad Sarhadi tells the story of his daring escape from Afghanistan’s Kandahar province, where he lived and worked before the Taliban swept into power last month. 

Sarhadi says the Taliban swept into his province suddenly, without warning. One day in mid-August while he was working from home, a neighbor knocked frantically on his door -- the Taliban was in the street, the neighbor said, looking to arrest journalists and employees of foreign organizations.

It took a few moments for Sarhadi to comprehend the gravity of his situation. He had been on a Taliban hit-list for the last two years, due to his criticism of Afghan politics and his work with numerous foreign media. The severity finally hit Sarhandi when he heard his neighbor yelling for him to “get out of here!”

There was no time to say goodbye to his wife and five children. He ran. Later, he would find out the Taliban had raided his house shortly after, searching for him. Fearful for her husband’s life, Sarhandi’s wife told him not to return, and not to call again.

Disguised under a turban, the stout journalist made his way to Kabul by taxi, navigating Taliban checkpoints by telling quick lies.

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