Top Channel’s Muhamed Veliu was able to interview over the phone one of the Afghan translators who assisted the Albanian military personnel in Afghanistan, who for security reasons will be referred to here as translator A.
From Kabul, the translator initially talks about the former cooperation with Albanian commandos: “I have helped the Albanian forces. My best friend has been the captain with whom we worked with during his 6-month mission as part of NATO forces. They helped my country Afghanistan a lot. Now that they are gone, big problems have been created.
“When NATO was here, many of us, including me, got work, we were educated, but everything has now changed.”
Asked about the dangers he faces as a former NATO employee, the translator states: “We were employed with NATO for the benefit of our families, for a better life and education for our children. But now I am hiding in Kabul.
“I cut off all contact with my family so as not to endanger them as a result of my job as a translator and the work for my country’s intelligence service.
“In the past when we worked for NATO, of course we were known by the Taliban. Now we have to hide. They are looking for us and others who worked for NATO or the US Army. Since you are giving me this opportunity, I ask for the help of the Albanian people.
“More than 20,000 of us are facing great risks. We cannot approach the ‘Hamit Karzai’ airport, as it is surrounded by Taliban checkpoints.”
In the event of the impossibility of obtaining the special US Visa for collaborators, Translator A makes this appeal through Top Channel:
“I want to ask for help from the Albanian people and your ministers. Please understand what danger I and my colleagues are in. The Taliban have launched a search for us. Please help us. We will be grateful for any help that the Albanian government can give to us, the translators who have worked with your troops in the field here”.
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