Oldham MP pivotal in the rescue of prominent Afghan woman from Kabul.

Debbie Abrahams, MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth played a crucial role in the rescue of a prominent Afghan female MP, who was being hunted by the Taliban this week. 

Shukria Barakzai, a leading feminist and powerful voice in Afghanistan, faced a week on the run, after being beaten by the Taliban and shot at, with bullets flying over her head as she fled the airport last weekend.  

Her and her husband were frantically mesaaging anyone they knew who might be able to help them. They were going from house to house, as they were being tracked down. 

It took a week before she was flown to safety, after Debbie Abrahams oversaw an effort between British officials and soldiers on the ground in Kabul, to aid the rescue.   

Debbie told us: “The sheer complexity of trying to secure the evacuation of Shukria and her husband, despite them being on the UK evacuation list, shows just how chaotic the situation has been in Kabul since 15th August. 

"It is clear that the Taliban have been hunting down activists and those who have worked with the West and Shukria and her husband experienced this first hand multiple times during the week it took to secure their evacuation.

Shukria spoke to BBC Newsnight this week, about her escape, saying she had to evade three Taliban checkpoints when she finally got the call that she could fly to the UK. 

She describes how she'd contacted the US Embassy, who couldn't help her, amongst others.  It was only the Oldham East and Saddleworth MP, who is a friend, who responded positively. 

Debbie told us: “I made official and formal applications to the Foreign Office, Home Office and Ministry of Defence as there was no clear line of responsibility. 

"But when I was getting no response I started to use informal channels through my own networks to try and get them out.

“It should not be down to informal networks to enable people to escape persecution. 

"I don’t think Shukria would have got out without using all the contacts I had to help her escape and I can’t thank them enough. 

"There have been so many acts of courage on the ground and their efforts must be recognised and honoured.

“However, there are thousands that will be left behind to whom we owe so much and we have let them down dreadfully."

Shukria is now in quarantine in the UK, in a place of safety and has thanked all those involved in her escape from Afghanistan.

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