Iraqis who worked with US fear for the future amid Afghan chaos

Having watched the US fail to evacuate wartime allies in Afghanistan, Iraqis who worked with the Americans are now more worried than ever a similar fate awaits them.

For Aymen, a former translator for the United States military in Iraq, seeing American allies in Afghanistan get left behind to face the Taliban following the American withdrawal felt personal. “They abandoned them – they’re not keeping their promise,” said Aymen, who asked that only his first name be used for security concerns. “This is what went through my mind.” Aymen is one of thousands of Iraqis who worked with the US during its 18-year presence in the country, and has been waiting for eight years to receive a US visa.