On August 15, 2021, the Taliban regained control of Kabul, nearly 20 years after Coalition Forces had cast them out of power. The takeover sent shockwaves throughout the country and the international community. It forced thousands of Afghans to leave their old lives behind and embark on a hellish journey for survival.

In this gripping, eight-episode narrative, Afghans themselves will tell you how it happened. You’ll hear how they maneuvered their way through panicked crowds; waded through sewage in a desperate attempt to get into the Kabul airport; withstood beatings and torture; and finally, if they were lucky, boarded a flight into the unknown.

You’ll hear stories about big risks, close calls, and unexpected moments of kindness — or luck — that changed everything. You’ll meet Afghan women and men from different walks of life, including a young journalist just starting her career at a women’s TV station, a former CIA interpreter and father of four, a pair of newlyweds caught in the jaws of the U.S. immigration system, members of all-girls robotics and cycling teams, and even a young man who chose to fight with the Taliban — in his eyes, to protect the country he loves.

Kabul Falling explores big questions: How does a war end, and who is accountable for the human wreckage left in its wake? In the face of massive systemic failures by the U.S. and Afghan governments, ordinary people did what they could to help each other survive. What they couldn’t do — and what they lived through — still haunts them. Kabul Falling grapples with the aftermath of the fall, exploring feelings of loss, abandonment, betrayal, and survivor’s guilt as Afghans work to rebuild their lives.

This is the story of a home ripped apart — and of a courageous new beginning.

For more, visit: https://kabulfalling.com/

Kabul Falling is produced by Project Brazen, a global journalism studio based in London and Singapore investigating some of the biggest scandals and stories of our time, told without fear or favor. Stay subscribed.

Learn more: https://www.projectbrazen.com

Roxane Gay

NPR

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