Abbas fought the Taliban alongside US and Australian troops. Now exiled in Iran, he feels abandoned

Why is Abbas, a former Afghan soldier who fought alongside US and Australian troops, now living in exile in Iran?

Abbas is in exile because the political order he served collapsed. He was an Afghan soldier who fought alongside US and Australian troops. When the Taliban retook Afghanistan, former soldiers and other foreign partners could face retaliation, intimidation, or severe insecurity. His service made him vulnerable rather than safe.

The article recalls that war shaped Abbas’s entire life. As a child, he fled the Taliban’s first rule with his family. Later, he joined Afghanistan’s forces and fought the same movement alongside international troops. After Kabul fell, evacuation and visa systems could not move every eligible Afghan quickly. Some people lacked documents, clear eligibility, or a safe route to an airport.

Iran became a nearby place of escape, but not necessarily a permanent solution. Abbas remains displaced while seeking longer-term protection or resettlement. His situation shows the gap between promises to local allies and the slow, complicated processes that follow a military withdrawal.

What is the Taliban, and how did it return to power in Afghanistan?

The Taliban is an Afghan Islamist movement formed in the 1990s by religious students and commanders. It imposed a strict interpretation of Islamic law during its first government, from 1996 until a US-led invasion removed it in late 2001. The movement then rebuilt as an insurgency against foreign forces and Afghanistan’s government.

Its return depended on several linked developments. The United States and the Taliban signed a 2020 agreement setting out foreign troop withdrawal. Taliban forces expanded across the country as international support declined. Afghan government institutions and security forces then collapsed rapidly. The Taliban entered Kabul on August 15, 2021, shortly before the final foreign troops left.

The result was a change of government, not the end of Afghanistan’s crisis. The Taliban again controlled the country, while many former officials, soldiers, activists, and minorities feared persecution. Its rule also created a humanitarian and rights crisis, including severe restrictions on women and girls.

How large and how long-lasting was the US-led military presence in Afghanistan?

The US-led military presence began after the September 11 attacks, when the United States invaded Afghanistan in October 2001. Its initial goal was to remove al-Qaeda’s safe haven and overthrow the Taliban government that sheltered it. The mission later expanded into counterinsurgency, state-building, and training Afghan security forces.

The commitment lasted almost two decades. US troops reached a peak of about 100,000 in 2011, while NATO and other partner countries also deployed forces. Numbers changed repeatedly as presidents increased, reduced, or redirected the mission. Foreign forces formally ended their combat presence in 2014, but thousands remained for training, support, and counterterrorism.

The final US and allied withdrawal took place in August 2021. That long presence produced a large Afghan military and government system dependent on foreign funding, air support, intelligence, and logistics. When those supports disappeared, the system unraveled with surprising speed, helping the Taliban seize Kabul.

Why did Afghan soldiers such as Abbas fight alongside foreign troops, and what role did they play in the war?

Afghan soldiers fought because Afghanistan’s security depended on them. They defended checkpoints, cities, roads, and government facilities. Many also sought regular pay and a chance to protect their families or communities. Their reasons varied, but their role was central: foreign troops could train and support Afghan forces, yet Afghans had to hold territory and confront the Taliban directly.

Abbas represents that partnership. He served in Afghanistan’s forces while operating alongside US and Australian troops. Afghan soldiers provided local language skills, knowledge of terrain, and contacts that foreign units lacked. They conducted patrols and battles, guarded bases, and often suffered heavy casualties. Foreign aircraft, intelligence, weapons, training, and logistics supported them.

Their importance became clearest during the withdrawal. Afghan forces were expected to secure the country after international troops left, but many units depended on outside systems. As those systems weakened, morale and command collapsed. Former soldiers like Abbas were then left exposed to the movement they had fought.

What happened to Afghan soldiers and other local allies after the fall of Kabul and the withdrawal of foreign troops?

The fall of Kabul ended the government that employed Afghan soldiers and many local allies. Former soldiers, interpreters, drivers, contractors, journalists, and activists could be identified through military records, photographs, weapons, or public work. Many feared arrest, revenge attacks, forced disappearance, or economic exclusion. The Taliban announced an amnesty, but reports of abuses and continuing fear made that promise unreliable for many people.

During the chaotic August 2021 evacuation, foreign governments transported tens of thousands of Afghans by air. Yet airport access was limited, paperwork was incomplete, and eligibility rules excluded many applicants. Some allies reached neighboring countries, including Iran and Pakistan. Others stayed hidden inside Afghanistan or made repeated applications for visas and resettlement.

Five years after Kabul’s fall, the consequences remain. Some people received new homes, while others remain displaced, undocumented, or waiting. Abbas’s exile shows that military partnership did not automatically produce safety or a durable legal status.

What evacuation, visa, or resettlement options were available to Afghan allies, and why might someone end up in Iran instead?

Several routes existed, but none guaranteed rescue. The United States offered Special Immigrant Visas to some Afghans who worked directly for the US government or contractors. Refugee pathways, including programs for certain embassy or media workers, also existed. Other countries created emergency visas, evacuation lists, or humanitarian schemes. UN agencies could register people seeking protection in neighboring countries.

In practice, these routes required evidence, identity documents, security checks, applications, and often referrals. The Kabul airlift prioritized people who reached the airport and could pass its gates. Many applicants lacked passports, complete employment records, internet access, or a sponsor. Some were eligible in principle but waited months or years. Others did not meet a program’s narrow rules.

Iran is Afghanistan’s neighbor, so crossing there can be more reachable than reaching an airport or embassy. But arrival does not equal asylum or resettlement. Afghan people in Iran may face uncertain legal status, limited work rights, deportation risk, and long waits while pursuing another country’s protection.

What is the difference between being a refugee, seeking asylum, and receiving permanent resettlement?

These terms describe different stages and legal situations. A refugee is outside their country and cannot safely return because of persecution or serious danger. Refugee status may be recognized by a government or the UN refugee agency. An asylum seeker has asked a country for protection but is still waiting for officials to decide whether the legal definition applies.

Permanent resettlement is different from simply crossing a border or registering a claim. A resettlement country selects a refugee for admission, checks the case, and provides a durable legal path. It may eventually offer permanent residence and, under its rules, citizenship. Resettlement is usually limited and is not an automatic right for every refugee.

For Abbas, living in Iran may mean he is displaced or seeking asylum there, depending on his legal status. It does not necessarily mean Iran has granted refugee protection or permanent residence. Nor does an application to another country guarantee acceptance. These distinctions explain why escape can still leave someone in prolonged uncertainty.

Key Facts:

📌 Abbas served as an Afghan soldier alongside US and Australian troops.

📌 The Taliban’s return made former Afghan soldiers vulnerable.

📌 Iran became exile, not necessarily permanent resettlement.

📌 The Taliban first ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001.

📌 A long insurgency rebuilt Taliban power after 2001.

📌 The Taliban captured Kabul on August 15, 2021.

📌 The US-led intervention lasted nearly 20 years.