From holiday to hell - Briton's diary of despair: London cab driver details how he hid in terror from the Taliban with his wife, their one-year-old son, and family members after attending Afghanistan wedding
London Uber driver Sabrallah Zahiri, 26, flew to Kabul with his wife, their one-year-old son, his parents and his three sisters on July 19.
They were there for the wedding on August 8 of his two brothers, Abdul Wajed, 22, and Fatur Ramun, 23, both studying mechanical engineering at West Thames College.
Only days later, they are cowering in their uncle's home, hiding from the Taliban. Here is Mr Zahiri's account.
Sabrallah Zahiri (pictured centre, with his brothers at the wedding) travelled to Kabul with his family on July 19
JULY 19 I am very excited as I have not been back to see my friends and family in Afghanistan for over a year. My father was a doctor who had to flee the Taliban and arrived in the UK in 1999, and I moved over with the rest of the family in 2011. Kabul Airport is calm and safe, just like Heathrow. We take a taxi to the home of my uncle. He has a huge house.
JULY 20-31 I am busy making preparations for the wedding. I drive around Kabul visiting old friends and families and we share feasts.
AUGUST 1-3 We visit the village where I was born, two hours from Kabul. It's just like driving in the UK. We catch up with friends and talk about how we miss each other. Nobody mentions the Taliban.
AUGUST 8 The wedding. First we have the reception. We eat three types of rice, four kinds of kebabs, fish, salads and juice for all the 2,000 guests. There is dancing 4am. There are no worries. It is perfect.
AUGUST 9 We are very tired. We are recovering when the mood begins to change. Everyone starts to get nervous. There are reports the Taliban are getting closer. We are checking the news all the time.
AUGUST 11 I try to get an earlier flight home. We were booked for August 24. The earliest they could do was the 16th.
At the door: Armed Taliban search outside the home where Zahiri is trapped in Kabul after being stranded
AUGUST 12 The Taliban are within 50 miles of the city. I know the Vice President, so I call him. He tells me that they will not get into Kabul. We still think we will make our flight. But I am getting worried.
AUGUST 14 Panic hits the city. Rumours go around that the Taliban are inside Kabul. Things start to feel very bad.
AUGUST 15 Now it really is changing. People start stealing everything. Cash machines are emptied and checkpoints are put up all over the city. I am worried about our flight so I go to the British Embassy. Everyone is gone. Then the Taliban come into the city. They are all over. Everyone is running away. It is chaos. I run in my sandals. I must run 20 miles to get away from them. I cannot describe how scary they are. I have never in my life seen them before. To come face to face with them is just terrifying. There is shouting and screaming and gunfire all over the city. I make it back to my uncle's and the Taliban come – 20 at our door. They want my car. One puts a gun to my head. He says, 'Give me it or I will shoot you,' so I give him the keys. I call the Embassy who tell me not to leave. They say wait for them to call back – but they do not.
AUGUST 16 Still no call from the Embassy. We can hear gunshots and swearing and shouting by the Taliban all over the city. They are worse than animals.
AUGUST 17 The Taliban come. They ask my uncle why he is keeping people here from the UK. They say they will kick him out for taking us in, but we manage to shut the door. We still have not heard from the British Embassy.
AUGUST 18 The Taliban get into our house. They push my uncle about – all of the kids and mothers start crying and they leave. Some of the Taliban say they will kill me and my uncle. We have still not heard anything from the British Embassy. It seems such a long time ago we came here. So much has changed. When will we see our home in London again?