‘I was expelled from Afghanistan’

Irish-born Michael Semple and his wife moved to Pakistan in the 1980′s to work as Oxfam’s aid program representatives for both Pakistan and Afghanistan. They divided their time between the two countries and Michael ultimately worked in Afghanistan in a number of different roles. But then, in 2007, he was expelled from Afghanistan, accused of being a spy and a Taliban supporter. We thought our listeners would like to hear Semple’s account of witnessing the end of the Soviet-backed regime, the ensuing civil war and rise of the Taliban and events after September 11th, 2001.

• Michael Semple on BBC’s “Taking a Stand”
• The World: Our interview with Semple in October, 2009