Family's escape from Taliban ends in NW Philadelphia

Posted 1/23/25

For a decade, Mohammad Reza Hasani trained Afghan police officers in human rights and helped women escape domestic violence. Now, he and his family are the ones who needed to escape, finding refuge in the Northwest Philadelphia region after fleeing the Taliban's return to power - a journey that cost his brother's life.

Hussain, Hasani's older brother, was captured, tortured and killed by the Taliban while attempting to protect the family's assets after their escape. "After we left, my brother tried to transfer our assets and cars to a relative's place, but our house was taken, and our …

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Family's escape from Taliban ends in NW Philadelphia

Posted

For a decade, Mohammad Reza Hasani trained Afghan police officers in human rights and helped women escape domestic violence. Now, he and his family are the ones who needed to escape, finding refuge in the Northwest Philadelphia region after fleeing the Taliban's return to power - a journey that cost his brother's life.

Hussain, Hasani's older brother, was captured, tortured and killed by the Taliban while attempting to protect the family's assets after their escape. "After we left, my brother tried to transfer our assets and cars to a relative's place, but our house was taken, and our assets were robbed," said Hasani, who still fears for his family’s safety, and did not want to reveal the specific location of his host’s home. "He tried to get out to Iran, but on the way, he was captured and killed."

The family's escape was particularly urgent due to their ethnicity. "We were even more in danger because we are Hazara ethnically," Hasani said. "Hazara people have suffered discrimination but are more willing to work for humanity and to show a positive picture about our country and our people."

Hasani, 38, built his career in his home city of Mizar-e-Sharif in Northern Afghanistan. In 2010, he joined the Afghan government, leveraging his English language and computer skills gained from private school education and his habit of listening to American audiobooks.

He went on to work with "Afghan Women," a U.S.-based nonprofit focused on humanitarian work in Kabul. The organization addressed critical issues facing Afghan women at the time. "We helped women who were victims of domestic violence and forced marriage, which were very common in the country," Hasani said. "Women had no access to human rights."

His wife Somayeh worked as a teacher from 2008 to 2016, educating girls in primary and middle schools. However, by 2014, the situation in Afghanistan began to deteriorate as the Taliban started returning to cities, kidnapping people and gradually taking control of more districts as international military aid decreased.

During this period, Hasani led a crucial project training police officers about human rights. "We led workshops on the rule of law, children's rights and women's rights and the proper role of police," he said. "It was not unusual for police, who were often illiterate, to kick and insult a person while arresting him."

The work made him a target, forcing him to leave his job and move to a bigger city. There, he and his wife continued conducting workshops on women's rights and divorce for students, courts, police and community elders until 2018, when Taliban threats of suicide bombings forced them to shut down the project.

Their escape from Afghanistan came through an unexpected connection. During his time as a private tour guide, Hasani had befriended a Polish couple who later activated their network to help Afghan refugees. When Kabul fell, they coordinated with Polish authorities to assist the family's evacuation.

The escape itself was treacherous. The family donned traditional clothes — Somayeh in a burka — and joined thousands of others at the Kabul airport. After two nights in dangerous conditions, they received word about the final evacuations. They waded through contaminated water, Hasani carrying their two-month-old baby, until they reached U.S. soldiers who held them until Polish forces arrived.

The family was evacuated on a Polish military plane to Uzbekistan, where Hasani's crisis management experience and translation skills proved valuable. "I helped with translation. I had experience in crisis management, which helped," he said.

After stays in Poland, Germany and France, the Hasanis finally reached the United States. While Somayeh has found part-time work as a pastry chef and Hasani is interviewing for jobs, they face practical challenges like lack of transportation. Their children — Nilofar, 13, Amir Mahdi, 12, and Amir Hafez, 3 — are preparing to start school in their new home.

The situation remains dire for Somayeh's family in their village, where she once taught school and worked for a foundation. "My wife's family is still in the village... and they are suppressed by the Taliban. The girls who live there can't even go out of the house," Hasani said.

Under current Taliban rule, women are no longer allowed to own businesses, and girls' education is limited to elementary school. Despite these painful realities and their personal losses, Hasani remains hopeful about their future in America. "We are now happy and sure that we have saved our kids' lives, and they now have a bright future in the U.S. We have found people very supportive here."

(Those wishing to support the Hasani family can contribute through their GoFundMe page at gofundme.com/f/support-our-afghan-refugee-family-journey-to-stability-in-pa)