Two men reunite with family after four years

NANGARHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan – After more than four years, two detainees were reunited with their families, Oct. 19, in a ceremony at the Nangarhar governor’s palace in downtown Jalalabad City.

Ahmad Gul and Noorpacha were released from the Parwan Detention Facility in Bagram, Afghanistan, where they learned a variety of skills to help them transition back into society, said Afghan Major Gen. Marjan Shuja, Afghan commander of the Combined Joint Interagency Task Force 435, during the ceremony.

Like all individuals detained at the facility, the men were treated humanely, receiving three meals and hot showers daily, said the general. Although the men are transitioning back to their normal lives, it is important they tell others about their fair treatment.

The families waited anxiously while the two men signed official paperwork as their last action before being reunited. With their signatures, the men had to swear to abide by the law and refrain from suspicious activities, said Shuja.

“Learn from your experience and live better lives,” Shuja told the men. “Do not let what has happened hold you back.”

The men quickly turned to the awaiting crowd and hugged each member, tears welling up in their eyes. In addition to their families, the elders from the men’s hometowns also hugged the men, welcoming them back into their villages.

“I am very happy to see my family and go back to my life,” said Ahmad Gul, one of the newly freed men. “I am very happy, and I am feeling good about the future. I will go back to being a farmer and be with my family.”