A large British family who were threatened, held at gunpoint and beaten up by the Taliban while visiting Afghanistan for a double wedding have now reached the safety of British soldiers.
Sabrallah Zahiri, from Hounslow, west London and 12 other family members flew to Kabul from Heathrow in late July for a double wedding in the Afghan capital which took place in early August.
But chaos has descended on Kabul since the Taliban takeover last Sunday and members of the Zahiri family were violently attacked by ISIS soldiers as they tried to flee the country.
The family, who travelled to Afghanistan with children aged between two and eight, were due to leave last Monday but their flight was cancelled.
Mr Zahiri's brother, Abdul Wajed, told Sky News: "We tried to go for the flight, but the Taliban attacked us, and they hit me with a gun, with AK47 in the middle of my chest and I fell to the floor. They hit my uncle as well."
The family returned to the apartment, and several armed members of the Taliban visited the home and told apartment owner Ajmil Hibibi, Mr Zahiri's uncle, to kick the family out.
Mr Zahiri said: "The Taliban came to the house and said: 'why are you keeping these guys in your home' they came from the United Kingdom and 'you should kick them out.'"
On another occasion, members of the Taliban confiscated the family car.
Mr Zahiri told Sky News: "They said 'you have to give me the key'. I said 'why, it's my own car not the government's car?' and they said, 'we don't care' and they put a gun to my head, and I said 'okay, take it'."
According to the Hounslow-based family, they received a call from the embassy on Thursday to head to the airport. However, on their way, they were stopped by armed Taliban soldiers and beaten up.
They made their way to the airport again the following night, and this time they evaded the Taliban and managed to get to the concrete walls around the airport.
They were scared, however, due to hearing reports dozens of Afghans were killed after being crushed in chaotic scenes outside Kabul airport as civilians desperately try to flee the crisis-torn nation.
The family spent hours trying to make their way through the crowds, and they finally reached the front of the queue in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Relieved to see members of the British Army, Mr Zahiri and the 12 others showed their passports and they were let through. They are now safe at Kabul airport and waiting for an RAF flight home.
Mr Zahiri said: "We are so happy now we got out and looking forward to getting back to the UK. Everyone wants to run away from this country.
"They all hate this country; in my opinion this country is finished it's never going to be like it was before."
