Local Vigil Held As US Troops Withdraw From Afghanistan And Taliban Retakes Control

WESTWOOD (CBSLA) - A vigil was held in Westwood Tuesday night in a show of support for the people of Afghanistan, many of whom are threatened as the Taliban retakes control of the country while U.S. forces withdraw.

Dozens of people turned out for the vigil to express how deeply emotional and personal the situation is in the embattled country.

"It's so hard because Taliban is danger," Fahima Sarfaraz, who said she was an activist and advocate for women in Afghanistan when her face was doused with acid by Taliban fighters.

Sarfaraz joined a group of Afghan immigrants and allies for the vigil just outside the West LA Federal Building.

"After one month, two months and scare all people. It's the women. It's the children," she said.

For those who attended the vigil, the past few days have been filled with agony and heartbreak as they watch the horrific images unfold of the Taliban retaking their country. At the vigil, the Afghan flag symbolized, for many, what's been lost.

One attendee, who asked only to go by Samia, said she has aunts, uncles and cousins still in the country.

"Some relatives have left recently, who can, but the rest of my family is still there," she said.

Samnia came to the U.S. in the 1980s and says that Afghans have been through so many tough times.

"These images that we're seeing and what's been happening with the way the Taliban is behaving, it's nothing new for us. This has happened for decades," Samia said.

People are now praying and trying to find hope in a situation that's rapidly deteriorated in terrifying ways.

"We are just deeply disheartened and saddened and mournful that the world has kind of turned its back on Afghanistan and we seek accountability," Samia said.

Vigil attendees said they will always stand in solidarity with the Afghan people and will continue fighting for their freedoms.