ATLANTA — U.S. troops’ chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan is something Hogai Nassery has been confronted by long after August 2021, when the last plane took off from Kabul, marking the end of the U.S.’ longest war. Starting last year, Nassery has supported Afghan evacuees who have resettled in metro Atlanta through a new nonprofit, the Afghan American Alliance of Georgia (AAAGA). She says the desperation and bloodshed of the evacuation have left emotional scars.
“Every family I’ve met has talked to me about the airport, what they went through at the Kabul airport,” she said. “You know, they talk about watching people die in front of them, people being trampled in front of them.” In some cases, families were separated at the airport. Some relatives were able to leave, and others remain stuck in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.
“We need trauma counseling for people.… We need that so badly,” Nassery added. “Everybody is struggling.”
