An Afghan man living in Malta says he fears for his family’s safety back home after Taliban gunmen took the capital on Sunday to form what is expected to be a new Islamic rule. 

The man, who asked not to be named for fear of his loved ones’ safety, says he is in a state of utter despair.

“I cannot use my name, the Taliban can find anyone who speaks out, using social media,” he said on Monday.

“My family are in Kabul, I have just spoken with them. The situation is not good, everyone is hiding in their homes. Nobody knows what will happen from day to day and even hour to hour.”

A two decade-long US-led effort to stabilise Afghanistan came crashing down over the weekend as Taliban militants took control of Kabul.

Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani fled the country on Sunday as thousands descended on Kabul airport, blocking air traffic in a bid to get out of the country.

The Taliban organisation is expected to announce a new Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan at some point this week. A Taliban spokesman said on Tuesday that government workers should resume their duties "without any fear". 

'I had to get out'

Meanwhile, the Afghan man in Malta, who runs a small business, said he had left his homeland back in 2002.

At the time, US and allied forces had invaded Afghanistan, aiming to stop the Taliban from providing a haven to al-Qaeda, the terrorist group behind the 9/11 attacks.

“I often get asked why I left my country. It is because of the war there. We are not economic migrants, who are just looking for better work. The situation is bad... I had to get out,” he said. 

The man explained that, for the past year, he has been trying to get most of his family out of Afghanistan after finally working his way to a financially stable position to help facilitate their costly travel arrangements.

However, hope of being reunited with his parents and siblings were put on hold once more when travel restrictions introduced to limit the spread of the virus pandemic grounded international flights.

He now fears what life in Kabul would be like for those he left behind nearly 20 years ago.

Many in Afghanistan’s most populated city do not trust promises made by the Taliban of clemency for those who had previously been opposed to their rule.

Others worry that a return to Taliban rule will see the same Afghanistan of two decades ago brought back, when women’s rights, in particular, were drastically restricted.

Meanwhile, Malta’s government has said it adheres to the United Nations position on the situation in Afghanistan.

The UN is calling for all involved to facilitate the safe and orderly departure of foreign nationals and Afghans as well as the protection of human rights, property and the restoration of security.

The government has not received any formal requests for evacuation from Maltese nationals there. The Foreign Affairs Ministry also confirmed yesterday that there are no Maltese people registered as living in Afghanistan.

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