"They survived some of the Afghanistan War's most grueling and treacherous missions, regularly battling the Taliban in nighttime raids and urban gun battles. But once evacuated to the U.S., many Afghan fighters who served in "Zero Units" led by the CIA found themselves spiraling into despair because of what they saw as bureaucratic neglect and abandonment by the U.S. government, a former CIA operative and a former Afghan fighter involved in the units told NPR."
"Among their ranks was Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the man charged with killing one National Guard soldier and seriously injuring a second after opening fire on them in Washington, DC on Thanksgiving Eve. The sense of betrayal and frustration cut so deep, some Afghan soldiers living in the U.S. began threatening self-harm. "Unfortunately, four people took their lives," said Davud, who served as a combat translator in a Zero Unit for more than a decade."
Afghan fighters in CIA-led 'Zero Units' conducted highly dangerous nighttime raids and urban combat against the Taliban, often undertaking two or three missions per night. After evacuation to the United States, many faced bureaucratic obstacles to asylum or permanent residency and experienced deep despair and feelings of abandonment. Mental-health crises emerged, including threats of self-harm and four suicides. Rahmanullah Lakanwal, among those evacuated, was charged with killing one National Guard soldier and injuring another in Washington, DC. Human Rights Watch accused some units of torture and illegal killings. Some veterans fear for family members still in Afghanistan.
Read at www.npr.org
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