Kaboo, My Spain: The Heart‑Wrenching Escape of Afghans to the Gulf
Salamanca, Spain – The year after the Taliban stormed Kabul, Massouda Kohistani’s chase through chaos landed her in Spain, leaving her family behind on the tarmac.
Massouda’s journey was one of pure grit—and a heavy toll. She fought her way onto a foreign military flight bound for the Gulf. The plane eventually dropped her off in Salamanca, a small Spanish city just west of Madrid. But the price? “I feel terrible having left behind my family, my sick mother,” she told Reuters, fresh from another emotionally draining video call with Kabul.
- Massouda’s mother wasn’t on board.
- Over a dozen relatives stayed behind on the tarmac.
- She’s carrying the weight of guilt that chills the marrow.
She’s a 41‑year‑old rights activist who’s single and presently struggling to make sense of the deep ache left behind. “They don’t have enough money to manage expenses…earlier I managed to pay all the bills,” she murmured, the tears whispering through the Spanish weather.
The Chaos of the 2021 Exit
Exact numbers? Hard to pin down. Thousands flowed out of Afghanistan in the frantic weeks following the Taliban’s hardline takeover on August 15, 2021. Reuters spoke to 13 prominent activists now living abroad, each wrestling with the unsettling fact: they’re unsure if or when they’ll ever return home.
- The men and women are wary of returning to an Afghanistan now ruled by a government that has tightened basic freedoms.
- Besmullah Habib, Deputy Spokesman for the Interior Ministry, claims the Taliban has opened a door for those who fled to come back.
- A special commission has been set up to help make that happen.
In Spain: The Safe Harbor
From her apartment in Salamanca, Massouda got word that her refugee status had been confirmed, valid for five years. Spain’s Interior Ministry, however, declined to comment on individual cases, so we rely on the figures they’ve published.
- Almost 3,000 Afghans arrived in Spain last year seeking asylum.
- About 2,000 have lodged asylum applications.
- Just over 1,500 have actually been granted asylum.
In a world where borders still feel uncharted, Massouda’s story is a reminder that the fight for freedom can be both a literal escape and a personal psychological struggle—one that wears down our sense of belonging, even when a new country offers a place to stand.
<img alt="" data-caption="The sister of Massouda Kohistani, who lives as a refugee in Spain after she left Afghanistan last year, speaks with Massouda over a video call as their mother wipes her eyes, at a house in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug 9, 2022.
PHOTO: Reuters” data-entity-type=”file” data-entity-uuid=”3dea478e-fc8c-42ff-8125-3f89d25805f8″ src=”/sites/default/files/inline-images/130822_afghan_reuters.jpg”/>
Kohistani’s Wild Escape from Kabul Airport
Picture this: a solo traveler, living out in Spain, finds herself suddenly tossed into the chaotic whirlwind of Kabul Airport’s door‑to‑door drama. She gets a ticket, racks up the adrenaline, but — come the next moment — fear takes the wheel.
“We’re Squeezing In”
- Boarding a Grab‑Bag of Desperation: She hopped onto a plane packed with hundreds of fellow Afghans, the sort of crowds that make you question the very nature of space.
- Family On Hold: Meanwhile, her loved ones were left on the tarmac, stuck in an endless loop of “not yet ready” moments.
The Spark That Sparked the Storm
“It felt like a turning point—from a life of promise to one that’s a daily test of anxiety, frustration, and raw trauma.” She says, almost begging the reader to feel her heart racing.
In the Mind of a Spanish‑living Refugee
The quiet in Spain is barely a lull. Every creak from the past echoes through her days. Her mind keeps replaying that night’s chaos.
- Buzzing Memories: The panic of the airport’s last moments still haunts her, causing sleepless nights.
- Emotion Overload: The sense that she has shifted from hopeful anticipation to a life thick with anxiety is almost suffocating.
So there you have it: one flight, one sobering realization, and a heavy burden of fear that’s stuck in her heartbeat. It’s not just a trip—it’s a poignant reminder that some of the hardest routes are the ones you’ve taken out of your home mind’s “airport” elevator.*
Rights curtailed
Remember the Airport Fright from a Year Ago?
Back in 2023, the world’s news cycles were gripped by frantic scenes outside the Afghan airport. Queens, politicians, and even my neighbor’s pigeons seemed to be rushing to escape the chaos as the Taliban, the hard‑to‑pin down militants, overran Kabul. Suddenly, the once‑fiery resistance army, a handful of locals, disintegrated as the US forces drew their final curtain.
Where Terror and Chaos Collided
In the end, a bomb‑laden bomber, part of the rival Islamic State, danced through the crowd and detonated, taking scores of Afghan civilians and 13 US soldiers lives. The whole event lit up the world press like a tragic, high‑stakes episode of Survivor: Kabul Edition.
After the Taliban Took the Lead
After the 20‑year long revolt against US‑led forces, which cost tens of thousands of innocent lives, the Taliban had made a ruthless pledge: women and girls are now squeezed under a hardline rule that severely limits their rights. Think of it as a brutal “no kidding” policy.
Past Dangers, New‑Age Hater‑Fire
- Some former government officials and soldiers are waving red‑flag accusations at the Taliban, saying the group is striking a personal vendetta against those who once opposed them.
- These claims underline that history might be a darker, more incompetent sequel than we’d like to think.
Off the Clock: A Call to Remember
The world may have turned its focus from Afghan crisis to other headlines, but every driver and passenger on those crowded airline planes remember the fundamental horror: fear. In the end, the only thing that stayed resilient—aside from the Taliban’s power—was the human spirit’s constant call for survival—often with a little humor and humor for good measure.
<img alt="" data-caption="The word "Life" hangs from a post board in the bedroom of Afghan refugee Massouda Kohistani, 41, at her home in Salamanca, Spain, on Aug 9, 2022.
PHOTO: Reuters” data-entity-type=”file” data-entity-uuid=”a0a8effc-7f83-4fc1-9830-acec4e4cae85″ src=”/sites/default/files/inline-images/130822_board_reuters.jpg”/>
Taliban’s House‑Hit Home: A Mother’s Hang‑Up With a Twist of Humor
In a move that feels more like a reality‑TV prank than a diplomatic gesture, the Taliban has promised to “respect people’s rights” – as long as those rights fit neatly inside their own brand of sharia law.
Meanwhile, in a quiet Kabul living room, Kohistani’s wheelchair‑bound mother tried to keep it all calm after her daughter Massouda slipped away to Spain. She described her own frantic episode in terms that feel almost cinematic.
“It was a big shock for me to see my daughter leave suddenly,”
—after she’d just ended a video call with the political scene. The mother, refusing to have her name shown online for fear of backlash, said,
“I don’t care about my life … I just wish that when I die, Massouda can come to my funeral.”
Taliban’s Response: “A General Amnesty for Everyone”
The Interior Ministry’s Habib was quick to brush off the home‑search accusations, stating,
“The general amnesty announced by the supreme leader includes everyone. Those who claim these issues are trying to … strengthen their immigration case.”
Abducting the Numbers: UN Refugee Stats
- Afghans sit under the refugee umbrella in 98 countries.
- They rank third worldwide, after the Syrians and Venezuelans.
- A United Nations official (kept anonymous) estimated two million Afghans out of a 40‑million population are actively seeking asylum overseas.
- The applicant numbers continue to climb, as the story unfolds.
Bottom Line
So there you have it: the Taliban keeps the “family inspections” coming, while a mother spins her tale with a punchline that, at least in the moment, feels more heartfelt than headline-worthy.
