Bellis returned to the headquarters of Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera last month, shortly after the first commercial flight since the Taliban regime began in August landed in the capital Kabul.
The 35-year-old, employed as the network’s senior producer for Afghanistan, recorded the arrival of a Qatar Airways service on September 9 via social media and is believed to have boarded the return flight to Doha a day later.
Back in Canterbury, a relieved Bruce Bellis confirmed his daughter was no longer in Afghanistan.
"They [Al Jazeera] pulled her out, she’s back in [the capital] Doha," he said.
"It’s not conducive for women being in a Taliban-controlled area, you’ll be aware of their views regarding women."
Bellis was already stationed in Kabul when the current regime swept to power and initially opted to stay because her nationality and employer - then regarded sympathetically by the Taliban - offered a measure of security.
Bellis had also built a strong network of contacts within the Taliban since she began covering Afghanistan in 2017, but last month the attitude to foreign journalists hardened.
On September 12, Bellis noted the change on her Twitter feed, advising her 32,000 followers: In August (Taliban) tells international media we welcome criticism as we want to improve, we just ask you to report fairly and objectively. Taliban in September: fighters detain, flog and beat #journalists covering #protests.
Bellis, who launched her television career in Christchurch with TVNZ in 2009, also worked with Sky News and the BBC before joining Al Jazeera.
