Homecoming: From Afghanistan to New Hampshire – a pilot’s story

MANCHESTER, NH – Lieutenant Colonel Ziauddin Zahid is a former pilot with the Afghanistan army who was forced to leave his country after the fall of Afghanistan. His pilot’s license is not recognized in the United States, so he now works at Bedford High School.

Zahid, of the Special Mission Wing (SMW) of the Afghan Army, served as a military pilot for 28 years. He was forced to leave his country when international forces led by the United States began the evacuation process from Afghanistan in 2021.

When the Taliban once again dominated Afghanistan, Zahid not only lost his career as a skilled pilot, but had to leave behind his family, friends and relatives.

As a pilot his job was to help the Afghan army with evacuation of earthquake and flood victims. He also assisted in the destruction of drug factories, locating Taliban positions and prisons, and targeting the Taliban in the mountains and valleys.

“When we were in Afghanistan we were happy in our duties and had a peaceful life with our families. And we served our duty honestly to our country. I carried out very dangerous missions in Afghanistan where we lost several comrades and colleagues who were martyred. Their planes crashed and unfortunate accidents happened that I am very upset about.

With tears in his eyes, Zahid retells a story about the events that happened on August 15, 2021, and the pain of leaving Afghanistan behind.

“At half-past 5 o’clock, we were ordered to move toward Salang, the point where we had to go was not clear. Our commanders were in front of us when we reached Salang,” Zahid says.

“Our commanders told us to go to Uzbekistan. It was very painful for us. I saw the suffering and pain among us because of the love for our country that we served for 28 years, knowing we were about to leave our families  – brothers, children, and country. We freed everyone, but we did not have a chance, before leaving, to see our families one more time,” he says.

They went to Uzbekistan and once there, their helicopter was out of gas.

Above: Photos of Lieutenant Colonel Ziauddin Zahid, who misses his career as a pilot in the Afghanistan Army, but is looking to the future – and rebuilding his life in the U.S.

“We stayed in the camp in Uzbekistan for a few weeks then the American forces came and transferred us to another place, then we were transferred to the Abu Dhabi camp. After a while, we came to the United States. It was really painful for someone who served 28 years for the country, and his wish is to serve his country; his wish is for the future of his country,” Zahid says.

Without knowing it at the time, he was forced to flee from his country in his own helicopter and leave everything behind.

“It is really a bad memory I will carry with me throughout my life. It was one of the worst experiences of my life,” he says.

After three years the family was finally reunited on November 20 when Zahid met them at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport. The first person Zahid hugged was his daughter, Aisha, who was just 2 1/2 years old when her father left the country.

“For now, thanks to the grace of God I am working and I am satisfied with my work. I am happy that my family was moved to Qatar and able to come join me in the U.S. I hope for a happy future because I hope that my children will come and study and serve their new country in the future,” he says.

The story of Ziauddin Zahid is like many other Afghans who have resettled in the United States and cannot find work in their profession. They must rely on the resources and agencies that receive them in communities, like Manchester, as they continue to work hard to rebuild their lives.

Romal Shinwary is a journalist and videographer – and refugee from Afghanistan who recently resettled in Manchester with his family.

These articles are being shared by partners in the Granite State News Collaborative. For more information, visit collaborativenh.org.