Jacksonville’s Afghan community, supporters rally for peace

3 years ago 320

Rally held successful Jacksonville Beach

JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – Jacksonville’s Afghan assemblage and its supporters came unneurotic to rally for bid and request the satellite enactment unit connected the Taliban.

A rally was held successful Jacksonville Beach connected Thursday -- a time they usually observe Afghan independence.

“Afghanistan is specified a onshore of demolition and heartbreak and invasions, yet the Afghan radical tone has ne'er been breached which tells truthful overmuch astir them,”bsaid Afghan American Madiha Zahir.

Zahir has relatives successful Afghanistan frightened for their rights and lives arsenic the Taliban takes over.

“Right present oregon successful Kabul time, we’re up each done the nighttime due to the fact that we don’t privation to miss immoderate quality updates. We speech successful a family, making definite they are OK,” she said.

Zahir, a caller instrumentality schoolhouse grad, helped with Thursday’s rally, wherever Afghan Americans came unneurotic to marque their voices heard.

“I don’t spot relocation arsenic a feasible semipermanent solution due to the fact that determination are 38 cardinal different radical that are near behind, truthful we request to bash is proceed to enactment planetary unit connected this caller regime, and erstwhile the headlines fade, we request to support our attraction connected this country,” Zahir said.

U.S. Rep. John Rutherford echoes her concerns, saying the Taliban takeover is simply a menace to planetary security. He’s particularly acrophobic astir the American citizens inactive determination and the radical who faithfully helped them successful the warfare connected terror.

“I deliberation we request to enactment capable subject unit successful there. I would not negociate with the Taliban to get Americans retired of there. They said travel to the airport, but we cannot warrant your safety. I deliberation the president should warrant their harmless transition to the airport,” Rutherford said.

The United States struggled Thursday to prime up the pace of American and Afghan evacuations astatine Kabul airport, constrained by obstacles ranging from equipped Taliban checkpoints to paperwork problems. With an Aug. 31 deadline looming, tens of thousands remained to beryllium airlifted from the chaotic country.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.