Welcome to Episode 27 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

For this installment of our series exploring the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, we chatted with volunteers Anna Segur and Val Simich about their work supporting our allies who were attempting to escape Afghanistan in the months leading up to the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. We also spoke with Afzil and Sayed, two former interpreters who were able to escape during the evacuation thanks to the support of Anna and Val. Their stories truly highlight the incredible strain our withdrawal created for Afghans seeking to escape the country after the Taliban’s takeover.

About the hosts:

Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.

Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.

For listeners in Afghanistan:

If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, [email protected]. Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.