A devastating turn of events unfolded on the Salt River at Sheep's Crossing on September 18, where two Afghan nationals, Abdul Mosawar Khaliqi, 25, and Mohammad Selaman Nasri, 27, tragically drowned. According to FOX 10 Phoenix, the cousins had sought refuge in America to escape the Taliban, a journey made possible through the United States' Operation Allies Welcome.
Both men had fled their homeland for Arizona, with hopes of a safer life far from the strife that plagued their native country. While Selaman worked as a security officer alongside U.S. forces in Kabul, Khaliqi, studied at a university before seeking asylum. "They came to America to escape the Taliban, and then this tragedy happened," Julianna Larsen, founder of the Arizona Refugee Center, told FOX 10 Phoenix. The loss of these men marks a grievous end to what was meant to be a time of new beginnings in the U.S.
On their day off, the cousins were swimming at a locale on the Salt River, a place that was reminiscent of the homeland they had left behind. "Many of our Afghans find refuge in swimming in the Salt River because it reminds them of home. There are beautiful places for them to swim. They were both strong swimmers," Larsen explained in her interview with FOX 10 Phoenix.
The deaths of Khaliqi, and Nasri have since rallied the Afghan community in a display of unity and support for the bereaved family, "I saw members of the community coming to their homes. They were there for them, they wanted to donate, they really just put their arms around each other and they didn’t know each other before this evacuation," Larson shared with The Hughes Jones Centre. It is a testimony to the communal bond that can form when displaced people are brought together by shared loss and hope.
As the Phoenix community and beyond learns of this tragedy, Larsen hopes people will remember the aspirations of those like Khaliqi and Nasri who start anew in the U.S. "I just want people to remember that we have beautiful people here wanting to build their lives, wanting to be good U.S. citizens, and they have families still there," she said, as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix. To assist the families of the victims, a GoFundMe page has been set up, offering a way for those moved by their story to contribute.
