Afghans Living In Sacramento Area Anxious To Learn If Family Got Out Of Afghanistan Safely

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - The Taliban takeover hits close to home. It's a crippling defeat for immigrants living here in the Sacramento area, anxiously awaiting word to see if their families will make it out.

A man is watching his country collapse after he helped rebuild it. You can only imagine his fear as he still has family and friends back home.

He only came to Sacramento after helping his country rebuild, and now, he's devastated to see it all taken away.

"Stay with the people, that's all I'm asking," said Besmellah Khuram.

It's a desperate plea from a man who once helped U.S. forces on the ground in Afghanistan. He's now horrified to watch his country fall to the Taliban.

"I'm very worried, I feel very sad and I'm very disappointed with the international community who left Afghanistan behind in a very critical moment," said Khuram.

Khuram came to Sacramento on a special immigrant visa, a program created for Afghans and Iraqis who've worked alongside the U.S. during the war -- often as translators. His heart broke watching the video of Afghans clinging to a U.S. military plane as it took off from his home city of Kabul.

"They don't have visa, they don't have passport, but they just get into the airport to get on that plane and get out. Because people are all hopeless. People are horrified, they're terrified," he said.

Khuram's family is still in Afghanistan now living in fear -- not knowing what's next, after finally seeing their country rebuilt from the ground up gone in an instant.

"We build a country. How can you let it fall apart in one night? Don't let it collapse. Secure the people. Give us safety," he said.

He went on to describe his disappointment after more than a decade of watching his country rebuild, only to have it all taken away.