While the Biden administration was getting ready to abandon anywhere between 1,000 and 1,500 Americans along with thousands of Afghans that helped American troops over the course of the last 20 years, ABC reported on Wednesday that they had made moves behinds the scenes to help one Afghan interpreter, his wife, and three daughters escape the country as the Taliban nipped at their heels.
After their initial report giving an update on the situation in Afghanistan, anchor David Muir surprised the audience by announcing how the network and chief global affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz helped guide Abdul, an interpreter for the Marines, and his family to safety. “He's been in touch with her all along. The Taliban showing up at his family's door. Tonight here, Martha with an extraordinary update,” he said.
In her report, Raddatz introduced viewers to Abdul and told us how he was embedded with the Marines in Helmand Province, where some of the toughest fighting of the war took place. “When we met him in Kabul in June, he already knew he was a marked man,” she said, playing a sound bite of him saying he knew he would be “killed by the Taliban” if they found him.
“When the Taliban seized Kabul, Abdul, his wife, and three daughters went into hiding. Moving from house to house, the Taliban right behind them,” Raddatz added. She then reminded us that this was the same Abdul that her colleague Stephanie Ramos pressed President Biden on a few days ago:
RAMOS: Last month, my colleague Martha Raddatz interviewed Abdul, an interpreter who was on the front lines with U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Overnight, we received a photo of Taliban militants coming to the door of his home literally hunting him down. Thankfully he was able to escape, but he is obviously still in mortal danger. What would be your message to Abdul, his wife, and his three young daughters?
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: We want you to be able to get to the airport, contact us, we'll see whatever we can do to get you there.
And while he and his family were on the run, his spirits would fell low. “On that same day, we got a message from Abdul, saying he did his job with ‘honesty and pride,’ but that Americans had ‘left us to people who are not human and will cut off our heads in front of our families,’” Raddatz read.
But then, the good news. “For days, ABC News and others in and out of government worked tirelessly to help and now, there is good news to report. Abdul and his family have all left Afghanistan, safe.”
“Martha, you and I have been talking about Abdul for days, you've been texting me updates and photos after the news at night. I know you kept this a secret for his own safety, his family's safety,” Muir boasted as they came back to their live shot.
And the big takeaway that Martha had for viewers was a touching one: “There are vast networks of veterans, civilians, and former agency people trying to help those stranded Afghans and they say they will keep at it until they are all out of there. They have really done heroic work.”
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
ABC’s World News Tonight
August 25, 2021
6:36:31 p.m. EasternDAVID MUIR: Martha Raddatz, leading us off here tonight. And Martha, I’m going to ask you to stay with us here, because we know this next story is personal to you. We have been reporting here on the tens of thousands of Afghan interpreters and others who helped the U.S. over this 20-year war. And one interpreter in particular named Abdul who Martha met in Afghanistan in June. He's been in touch with her all along. The Taliban showing up at his family's door. Tonight here, Martha with an extraordinary update.
[Cuts to video]
RADDATZ: This is Abdul. For 18 months, he was an interpreter, worker alongside American Marines in the most dangerous part of Afghanistan, Helmand province. When we met him in Kabul in June, he already knew he was a marked man.
ABDUL: I know that I will be killed by the Taliban.
RADDATZ: When the Taliban seized Kabul, Abdul, his wife, and three daughters went into hiding. Moving from house to house, the Taliban right behind them. ABC's Stephanie Ramos taking his case to President Biden.
STEPHANIE RAMOS: Last month, my colleague Martha Raddatz interviewed Abdul, an interpreter who was on the front lines with U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Overnight, we received a photo of Taliban militants coming to the door of his home literally hunting him down. Thankfully he was able to escape, but he is obviously still in mortal danger. What would be your message to Abdul, his wife, and his three young daughters?
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: We want you to be able to get to the airport, contact us, we'll see whatever we can do to get you there.
RADDATZ: On that same day, we got a message from Abdul, saying he did his job with "honesty and pride," but that Americans had "left us to people who are not human and will cut off our heads in front of our families."
For days, ABC News and others in and out of government worked tirelessly to help and now, there is good news to report. Abdul and his family have all left Afghanistan, safe.
[Cuts back to live]
MUIR: And look at the faces of his children, the smiles there now that they’re safe. Let's bring back in Martha tonight. Martha, you and I have been talking about Abdul for days, you've been texting me updates and photos after the news at night. I know you kept this a secret for his own safety, his family's safety.
But we know this is just one Afghan interpreter and his family. Tens of thousands remain and you've learned tonight that they're getting help not just from the American government, but from veterans all over this country who served alongside them in Afghanistan, now working around the clock to try to get them out.
RADDATZ: Well, David, they really are. There are vast networks of veterans, civilians, and former agency people trying to help those stranded Afghans and they say they will keep at it until they are all out of there. They have really done heroic work, David.
MUIR: And Martha, I know you will take no credit for this, but we appreciate you staying on Abdul's story and you certainly helped along the way. Thank you. Our coverage of Afghanistan right here for tonight.
