Man describes harrowing escape from Kabul, Afghanistan after being separated from family

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A man described his harrowing escape from Kabul, Afghanistan. He and his new wife are in the U.S. now and grateful to be alive, but also scared for family members who got separated during the chaos to get out.

ABC7 is not showing their faces to protect their families still in Afghanistan. The man we only identify as Omar is a U.S. citizen and has American police training. He said he tried for three days to get his new wife and her family to the airport.

"For me, to be able to the confidence to move forward and to acknowledge the flash bangs as a scare tactic, I was able to move forward," he said.

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Omar described the violence, chaos and crowds that separated them from his mother-in-law and sister-in-law.

"The mother and the daughter lost contact with each other, they lost their cell phones in the process so we couldn't get a hold of them," he explained. "And when we told the US Marines, hey, we have family back, they said it was too late. They were lost as we went through the gate. And this is not just us - this is thousands and thousands of Afghans that went through the same thing trying to survive. I feel like I've torn this family apart for me to bring them here and the other two left behind, it's hard. We are scared for their lives and their safety. Their life is in severe danger because they are afraid to walk outside because they are alone and if they go outside they fear facing Taliban."

Omar and his family only arrived in the US a week ago. They will eventually stay with relatives in the Chicago area.

They, like so many leaving Afghanistan, are eager to get settled and most eager to try and help loved ones still there.