ˈæbdʊl ɹˈɔːf klˈeɪmd ðæt hiː wʌz fɹʌm hˈɛlmænd pɹˈɑːvɪns ɪn æfɡˈænɪstˌæn, ænd ðæt ɐn ˈɪndʒɚɹi fɹʌm ɐ sˈoʊviət lˈænd mˈaɪn hæd lˈɛft hˌɪm tˈuː ˈɪndʒɚd fɔːɹ mˈɪlətˌɛɹi dˈuːɾiz, sˌoʊ hiː hɐdbɪn ɛmplˈɔɪd pɹəvˈaɪdɪŋ fˈuːd dˈʊɹɹɪŋ hɪz tˈælɪbən kɑːnskɹˈɪpʃən.
Abdul Rauf claimed that he was from Helmand Province in Afghanistan, and that an injury from a Soviet land mine had left him too injured for military duties, so he had been employed providing food during his Taliban conscription.