“We trusted you.”
Those are the three words Sky News’ intrepid special correspondent Alex Crawford believes saved her and her colleagues from a sinister fate after being captured by Taliban fighters in Afghanistan.
The intrepid journalist, 61, recounted the harrowing experience of imprisonment, believing she and her two colleagues were about to become pawns in a macabre hostage-taking video as they attempted to cover the Taliban’s weapons production in the heart of Kabul.
Having arrived in Afghanistan before the complete takeover by the Taliban after the fall of Kabul in 2021 as British and American forces retreated dramatically, Alex suddenly found herself in a country without a British embassy or consulate, as the nation teetered on the precipice of chaos.
Within weeks, Afghanistan’s already delicate healthcare system had collapsed, while women were stripped of their fundamental rights and relegated to the status of second-class citizens.
Alex, who received an OBE for her unwavering dedication to journalism, shared Subway how was captured by Taliban fighters, along with her translator and cameraman.
Sky News’ intrepid special correspondent Alex Crawford has shared her experience of being held hostage by the Taliban – and how she escaped
Taliban fighters guard outside Kabul airport on August 31, 2021, after the US withdraws all its troops from the country to end a brutal 20-year war
Taliban fighters stand guard at the site of an open-air demonstration in a field on the outskirts of Kabul on October 3, 2021, as Taliban supporters and senior figures held their first mass rally to consolidate their rule. Afghanistan
Recalling the chilling moments as the trio awaited their fate, Alex said: ‘We just sat there. My Afghan translator prayed and prayed and prayed and sweated and – I don’t want to say crying – but he was very upset.
‘My cameraman, a tough Australian, was just extremely quiet. And we were left there for what seemed like forever.”
“We were all in that room thinking, ‘Oh god, we’re going to be the center of a hostage tape,'” she said, describing the room they were left in as completely bare except for a Taliban flag and a camera tripod.
Six balaclava-clad Taliban militants then stormed into the room and lined up for the camera in a menacing line for their captives.
Alex said she realized it was unlikely she would have another chance to influence her captors.
But instead of cowering or begging for forgiveness, she went on the offensive and launched into a passionate and confrontational diatribe.
‘We trusted you! We came here in good faith!” she exclaimed.
“Would you treat your own mother, sister, or wife like that? How do you think we feel? This is disgraceful!’
Her terrified Afghan translator was stunned by the outburst, but delivered the message properly, despite fears it would seal their immediate doom.
But against all odds, Alex’s daring act startled the Taliban, whose menacing resolve seemed to waver for a moment.
Alex understood that her captors were doubting themselves and continued the verbal attack until suddenly the Taliban just said, “Okay, go, that’s it,” and let them leave.
Alex’s unwavering dedication to journalism has earned her five prestigious Royal Television Society awards, a pair of Emmys and a Bafta – not to mention an OBE, which she received in 2012.
She has witnessed unimaginable violence, unspeakable terror and the most profound human suffering – but perhaps this has allowed her to stay sober and seize the only chance to escape unscathed from the clutches of the Taliban.
Alex’s unwavering dedication to journalism has earned her five prestigious Royal Television Society awards, a pair of Emmys and a Bafta – not to mention an OBE
When asked what drives her to return time and time again to these violence and terror-ravaged cities, at great personal risk, she said: ‘In the end, it almost feels like you have to do it’
Taliban fighters stand guard at a checkpoint on a street in Kabul
Alex spoke to Metro ahead of the release of the latest installment in her docuseries “Women at War,” a show that delves deep into the heart of regimes where women’s voices are silenced and their autonomy and rights are snatched away.
Her latest installment, “Women at War: Mexico,” examines the systematic violence women and girls face in the Central American country, which has been plagued by cartel violence in recent years.
Throughout her extraordinary career, Alex has not only documented life-threatening situations, but has often become a target herself, enduring kidnappings, interrogations and even gunfire.
The intrepid journalist claims she never consciously sought out these dangerous assignments, instead ending up in countries ravaged by riots and protests, where her presence was much needed.
When asked what drives her to return again and again to these violence and terror-ridden cities, at great personal risk, she replied: “In the end, it almost feels like you have to.
“It sounds pretty moral… I have a feeling I’m not alone in that.”
- Sky News documentary Women at War: Mexico is available to view via Sky On Demand