Five years after the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, Afghan refugees resettled in Yorkshire have described the lasting trauma of fleeing the country and the difficulty of rebuilding their lives in the UK. Their accounts underline the continuing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, especially the restrictions facing women and girls, while showing how former interpreters, embassy staff and journalists remain unable to return safely.

Hamidullah Khyber, a former interpreter for British forces who was injured in a Taliban attack, arrived in York six days after the takeover and now helps other refugees despite living with PTSD. Hossain Saeedi fled because his British Embassy role put him at risk and now supports asylum seekers for the British Red Cross in Leeds, while his wife Fereshta Hussaini, formerly a journalist, experienced growing threats against female reporters before the Taliban took control. International forces completed their withdrawal on 30 August 2021 after a 20-year campaign, and the Taliban had regained nationwide control by mid-August.