Ipswich man fears for Afghan family after Taliban bomb plot foiled

An Afghan man living in the UK has told how he fears for the lives of his family in Kabul, who he believes are being hunted by the Taliban.

Danil's father is a police officer who uncovered a Taliban plot to blow up a crowded market in the city in 2014.

A man jailed for the plot has been released since the Taliban gained control of the capital, he said.

Danil said his father, mother, sister and brothers are now in hiding and he had begged his Ipswich MP for help.

Danil (not his real name) has lived in Ipswich for about five years.

His family - his police officer father, his mother and sister - who are both teachers - and two brothers, who are doctors, remained in Kabul.

When the Taliban gained control of the city, Danil said his family "had just 20 minutes to hide" at a friend's house, "because they, the Taliban, know where my dad is living".

The person responsible for the bomb plot uncovered by Danil's father was jailed for more than 20 years, but has been freed in the past week, and the Taliban are now looking for his father, Danil told the BBC.

He said they had come to the family's old home several times, and were asking neighbours where they were.

"They know about my dad - everything," he said.

The 25-year-old believes all five members of his family will be killed if they are found, not only because of his father's role in foiling the bomb plot, but because the rest of the family are educated, and working in professional roles.

"The Taliban don't want all the people to go to school," he said.

Danil has managed to speak with his family a few times, but said they are "just scared - my mum is crying, my sister is crying - I tell them, we just need some time".

Danil showed the BBC a posting on social media he said had been put up recently by the Taliban.

"They're saying they know each person who was working with the government and they just want to kill them - and it's an official post," he said.

Danil is placing his hopes on help from the British government to get his family safely out of the country.

He has written to Tom Hunt, the Conservative MP for Ipswich.

Mr Hunt's office told the BBC the MP was in touch with the Foreign Office and was providing support to those who have family in Afghanistan.

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