Khalil — lost during the war in Kabul, 2007

I lost my cousin Khalil during the evacuation of Kabul in 2007. The crowd swallowed them whole. Explosions were so constant we stopped flinching, but we never stopped being afraid. During the invasion of our village, Khalil was separated from the rest of us. I remember Khalil as someone who prayed for peace every single day. I cherish the memory of teaching me to ride a bicycle in the backyard. We lost all communication in 2017. Someone told us they might have made it to Sydney, but we could never confirm it. Khalil would now be approximately 51 years old. They were short and stocky, with a round face and kind eyes, with a small scar above the left eyebrow from a childhood fall. I still keep their photo in my wallet, worn and faded but precious. If anyone has information about Khalil, I beg you to contact us. We have registered with every tracing service we could find.