‘Taliban are trying to kill 14 families I’m hiding in Kabul – they must wipe phones or face death’ – Dominik Byrne – World News

Dominic Raab’s failure to make the phone call that could save Afghan interpreters was nothing short of an atrocity. Now we have scores of people in deep hiding who will die if they’re discovered by the Taliban, writes Dominik Byrne, Head of Impact at Fundsurfer

I was one of the few who wasn’t surprised when Kabul fell in 24 hours. I knew the US would never come back, I knew the UK wouldn’t either. And I just knew that President Ghani would not stand up to the Taliban and risk the number of citizens of Kabul at the time.

The capital city was already filling up with people who had fled from other Taliban strongholds in Afghanistan. I knew a couple of people connected to the president’s family who left 24 hours before he did, so they knew it was coming.

What we’re doing now is supporting families who are in direct danger and in deep hiding in secret locations across Kabul. They’ve already been threatened by the Taliban – some have had their houses raided and their neighbours interrogated about their location. They’re seen to be among the worst collaborators and won’t survive an administration of the Taliban. Their lives currently depend on us getting them out of Afghanistan.

They’re in danger either because they’ve worked with the security forces or with the Afghanistan government. Some are diplomats or worked in counter-terrorism – one is a government official who was sympathetic to the rights of girls, so they have targets on their backs.

There are currently 69 people spread across 14 families on our list who need to get out of there. We’ve been processing new names throughout the night, and every day there are more who need our help. One is hiding with his wife and their nine-month-old baby, so it’s a really serious situation.

Some are taking days to reply to us because they’re too afraid to turn on their phones – there’s a reason why the Taliban has kept the mobile communications networks open and we suspect it’s because they’re monitoring smartphone activity in the city. They’ll be collecting phones from certain people to keep tabs.

Our families are using strict security protocols to keep them as safe as possible. We asked them to send any data they felt was important – either now or for the future – to phones in the UK, and then wipe everything off their own handsets. We only speak to them if there’s a major update on either side. We only text through WhatsApp so our messages are encrypted, and then we have them turn off their phones whenever they’re not using them.

If they have to leave their safe house, we’ve advised them to delete any foreign names and numbers off their phones just in case they’re intercepted. They’ve each got bags hidden with the essentials that they can grab in an emergency, and their passports are also hidden in separate places.

We’ve warned them not to go out at night and delete their communications as much as possible. If they’re caught by Taliban fighters, they will certainly face violence – and far, far worse.

It’s becoming increasingly obvious the Taliban have international support. And it’s not just them on the street, they also released ISIS and Al-Qaeda prisoners from jails as they gained control of Afghanistan. So these criminals – murderers – have got lists of people who put them behind bars – judges, counter-terrorist officers and prosecutors – who they’ll now be targeting.

We’ve also got evidence the Taliban ransacked documents and computers in the presidential palace for names of who they see as collaborators. The government’s security staff didn’t wipe the data from the Ministry of Defence’s documents, so the Taliban now has all that intel. Within 12 hours of them taking control they were already sending raiding squads to addresses of interest.

The turning point in the violence was directly after the Taliban’s press conference, in which they claimed there would be no retaliation against their enemies. That was clearly a lie, because we know of our contacts’ family members who are being beaten to make them give up information.

We’re hearing less from our people on the ground as the week wears on. They’re scared and sitting tight in hiding. It’s hard to tell if the situation is escalating but we’re trying to piece together the information we’re getting through. The US and UK have made it clear that they take no responsibility for getting people to the airport, so our families are on their own until they can get safe passage through the city.

We’re working with Siobhan Baillie MP to assess everyone on our list – she’s been brilliant in pushing for housing and places for them to stay as soon as they get to the UK. We’ve launched a crowdfunding page with the aim of raising £20,000 that will go to local charities and organisations, and the overall goal is to hit £250,000.

Do I think we’ll get everyone out? We’ll be fighting every step of the way but we’ve got a very hard job on our hands. In some ways the immigration side of things is the easiest – it’s getting them to Kabul airport that’s going to be difficult. We’re saying to them, are you sure you want to take this risk, and they’re coming back saying, of course, it’s less dangerous than staying. But at the moment the stats are against us.

Even from the UK government, things aren’t looking bright. Dominic Raab’s failure to make the phone call about interpreters was an atrocity in itself. If any of my families die, or interpreters die because of his failure, he absolutely must be held to account.

After Boris Johnson’s announcement that the UK will take in just 5,000 refugees this year, I had people crying on the phone saying, ‘there’s no hope for us’. I reassured them there are still people supporting them and we’ll do whatever it takes. It’s about keeping people calm as best you can.

Comment from Siobhan Baillie MP

“Dominik is a constituent of mine and we have been working together to do all we can to support families currently under threat in Afghanistan. He is doing an incredible job keeping in touch with people there.

“I have spent the last week in close contact with the Home Office, Ministry of Defence and Foreign Office including ministers and their teams. I would like to give praise to all those people who are working around the clock to help.

“We will all do our utmost to support the those left in the country under threat and try and get them to safety. Many of them have worked alongside the UK for many years.

“It is an increasingly difficult, sensitive and fast-moving situation which involves around 14 families in need of help that Dominik has identified.

“There are also a further three constituents who I have been in contact with who are involved with three more families and several individuals trapped inside Afghanistan.

“I cannot really say much more as it’s vitally important we make sure nothing is given away that could help the Taliban to track them down.

“However, in total it is 82 people we are trying to get out. We may need to be patient but everyone is conscious the situation is changing all the time and I am one of a number of MPs working to help.”

Click here to donate to Fundsurf’s Afghanistan resettlement crowdfunding page