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Local organizations welcome Afghan refugees Saturday night

Organizations helping resettle Afghan refugees welcomed a former interpreter for the U.S. military and his family Saturday night at Denver International Airport.

DENVER — When Joe Saboe learned of the Taliban taking over Afghanistan, he knew something needed to be done. 

"On about August 12th, I got a note from my brother. He was asking me to help save his friend's life," he recalled. "Got a lawyer to do some paperwork, called the embassy in Kabul, and they said we'll get him a phone call in an hour and the phone call never, never came. And so we just decided to kind of take matters into our own hands."

Saboe, a veteran and former infantry officer who served for seven years in Iraq, founded Team America Relief last summer in response to the situation in Afghanistan. 

The organization focuses on how to help those still looking to evacuate Afghanistan. 

"And then more importantly, with today, you know, the next chapter of this story isn't going to be written by the Taliban. We get a vote in that. These people are, they're just, they're here now. They're full of hope. They're ready to be the newest Americans," Saboe said. 

The people he is referring to, are the families that Anna Segur, a Boulder resident and volunteer with the organization, has been working with for six years now. 

Credit: Alex Castillo
Anna Segur and Joe Saboe stand together at Denver International Airport.

"So I traveled to Greece to help to distribute supplies to the refugees in 2016, and when I got there, I met one after another after another U.S. military interpreter from Iraq and from Afghanistan," Segur recalled. 

So even before joining Team America Relief, she was working on helping Afghan refugees with their visa paperwork.

She was then connected with Shir Khan Noori, who Anna explained was a former combat interpreter for the U.S. military in Afghanistan.

“Out on the battlefield he would be interpreting...interpreted in key leader engagement meetings with local elders,” Segur explained. 

Credit: Anna Segur
Shir Khan Noori when he was a combat interpreter for the U.S. military.

The Taliban then targeted the Noori family. 

“In July when the Taliban started taking over provincial capitals, they attacked his house they burned it to the ground and he basically had to flee with two backpacks," Anna said. 

Thankfully, Anna and her team, along with others, helped the Noori family get to the Kabul airport through communication. 

The Noori's then were able to get placed in one of the United States' refugee camps, at the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (commonly known as Fort Dix) in New Jersey. 

After months of waiting, the Nooris were finally able to make it to Denver where they will start their new life. 

“I’m thrilled! It’s been it’s been six years in the making...I can’t wait to welcome him to my city," Segur said. “We've just been communicating through WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger for six years, so to finally see them in person is gonna be really special.”

Credit: Luis de Leon
Signs held up welcoming the Noori family.

They were joined by the group, Kabbalah Experience, which is helping the Nooris with the resettlement process. 

Dozens of people showed up with signs welcoming the family, and Shir Khan said he was thankful for all of the help. 

"I'm feeling very excited after like five months finally made it here," Noori said. "My message is for all of the people that gonna be a lot of more like me - interpreters - that are left behind...we need you guys to help us."

He also had a message for those that helped his family. 

"I thank all of these guys - I really appreciate them," he said."

Credit: Alex Castillo
Anna Segur and Shir Khan Noori stand together at Denver International Airport.

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