Malliotakis helps Brooklyn family escape Afghanistan

U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis helped a Brooklyn family escape from Kabul, Afghanistan, during the U.S. withdrawal from the country.

Malliotakis told this paper that she was contacted by a Gravesend man whose wife and three children – ages 1, 3 and 7 – were visiting Afghanistan when the withdrawal began.

“They’re obviously desperate to evacuate safely,” Malliotakis said. “My office worked with the State Department and we were able to get them on a military flight to Qatar yesterday. That’s where they are now.”

Malliotakis said people trying to locate relatives in Afghanistan should contact their member of Congress or U.S. senators for help.

“It’s very dangerous right now for women, particularly with the Taliban controlling checkpoints at airports, and the father was just delighted they we were able to help them and hopefully will be reunited soon,” she said.

She also said President Joe Biden’s withdrawal plan was poorly conceived.

“He didn’t listen to intelligence and the Taliban taking over was not only inevitable but it was going to be graphic and they didn’t prepare for that scenario,” she said. “They didn’t have a strategy in place to ensure safety for our American citizens and our diplomats. They should’ve been evacuated first before troops were withdrawn.”

U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis helped a Brooklyn family escape from Kabul, Afghanistan, during the U.S. withdrawal from the country.

Malliotakis told this paper that she was contacted by a Gravesend man whose wife and three children – ages 1, 3 and 7 – were visiting Afghanistan when the withdrawal began.

“They’re obviously desperate to evacuate safely,” Malliotakis said. “My office worked with the State Department and we were able to get them on a military flight to Qatar yesterday. That’s where they are now.”

Malliotakis said people trying to locate relatives in Afghanistan should contact their member of Congress or U.S. senators for help.

“It’s very dangerous right now for women, particularly with the Taliban controlling checkpoints at airports, and the father was just delighted they we were able to help them and hopefully will be reunited soon,” she said.

She also said President Joe Biden’s withdrawal plan was poorly conceived.

“He didn’t listen to intelligence and the Taliban taking over was not only inevitable but it was going to be graphic and they didn’t prepare for that scenario,” she said. “They didn’t have a strategy in place to ensure safety for our American citizens and our diplomats. They should’ve been evacuated first before troops were withdrawn.”