'I want to cry': Maritime Afghan community, veterans react to situation in Afghanistan

HALIFAX -

The president of the Afghan Society of Halifax feels hopeless as she watches the situation unfold in her home country.

"Honestly, I want to cry, I want to yell," says Gulmakai M. Sarvar. "What good is the result of doing that?"

Despite Canada’s final flight leaving Kabul, Sarvar says, she will continue to fight to bring her loved ones to safety.

"My closest family, they are hiding in their house," she adds. "Because their life is in danger."

Independent defense analyst Ken Hansen says he’s disappointed Canada left Kabul Thursday morning, but he says there are many logistical problems that haven’t changed over years.

"I warned senior leaders in the military in 2002 that this was a complex problem in a landlocked poor country that would take probably 200 years to resolve," Hansen explains.

"And here we are, after merely some 20 some odd years and it has collapsed completely."

The executive director of Wounded Warriors Canada says he can’t help but think about all the Canadians who served in Afghanistan, as well as their families, as the Taliban takes over the country.

"This country needs to wrap itself around those that served so valiantly, so distinguishably, and so honourably," says Scott Maxwell.

"We need to let them know that their service was not in vain and Canadians deeply care about their service and sacrifice."

Retired Canadian Forces Chief Warrant Officer Gary Crosby did two tours in Afghanistan.

He had hoped for a better outcome.

"We did a lot of infrastructure projects, a lot of nation building projects," he says.

"Trying to steer them as a country to a different route than they’re going right now - but it’s their choice."

Meanwhile, the president of the Afghan Society in Halifax says she will continue to reach out to government agencies for support, as she works to move her family and others out of Afghanistan.