Afghan woman with ties to Westchester among many desperately trying to flee Taliban-controlled Afghanistan

As the crisis in Afghanistan escalates, with suicide bombings Thursday leaving at least a dozen U.S. service members dead and more injured, thousands continue a frantic rush to Kabul's airport to flee the country - now controlled by the Taliban.

News 12 Staff

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Aug 26, 2021, 9:58 PM

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Updated 1,222 days ago

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An Afghan woman with ties to Westchester is among the thousands of people desperately trying to flee the Taliban-controlled country.

As the crisis in Afghanistan escalates, with suicide bombings Thursday leaving at least a dozen U.S. service members dead and more injured, thousands continue a frantic rush to Kabul's airport to flee the country - now controlled by the Taliban.

Among those desperately looking to evacuate is Ossining resident Sophia Bator's cousin, Freshta.

"She's 24 years old, she's a young woman she was fear for her life, to become a sex slave captured by Taliban to beating or torture," says Bator.

The law school graduate and women's rights activist tried to get to Kabul airport several times but couldn't get past Taliban checkpoints.

"She has beatings several times during journey from her home, to the airport," says Bator.

Sofia told her story of trying to get her cousin out of Afghanistan to one of her professors at Westchester Community College, and he decided to help.

He told her what to do and who to contact.

Lawmakers such as Sen. Chuck Schumer got involved in Freshta's case. But psychology professor Sheldon Malev says it was really Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner who made the biggest difference.

Thanks to the assistance of Feiner and other officials, Freshta has finally made her way inside Kabul's airport.

But she's one of the lucky ones, and many will be left behind in the fog of war.

Sofia Bator says her cousin will stay with her in Ossining when she eventually makes it to the U.S.

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