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2021-08-22 Afghanistan
Veterans group uses intel, satellite images to direct Afghan interpreters around Taliban checkpoints
[FOX] A network of "hundreds of thousands" of people, including analysts using satellite imagery to locate Taliban checkpoints surrounding the Kabul airport, are coordinating to evacuate Afghan interpreters from the country, an Afghanistan war veteran and member of the coalition told Fox News.

These interpreters, now targeted by the Taliban, were essential U.S. allies during the Afghanistan war and played roles much larger than simply acting as translators, according to Matt Zeller. The Biden administration has faced fierce criticism that the U.S. hasn’t made their evacuation more of a priority.

"These people that we’re talking about ... they were our eyes and ears on the battlefield," Zeller told Fox News. He said they’d hear Taliban communications ordering fighters to shoot the interpreters first.

"From the Taliban’s perspective, they won," Zeller, a former CIA analyst, continued. The Afghan interpreters "are the people who have been helping us to kill them over the last 20 years."

"They want revenge, they want retribution," he said. "There’s no place for these people in Afghanistan."

There’s estimated to be at least 20,000 Afghan interpreters and family members trapped in Afghanistan.

Zeller described a "digital Dunkirk" campaign working to evacuate the Afghan interpreters. He said "hundreds of thousands" of people joined the movement after just a few weeks, but that it could grow into the millions by the time it’s over.

"If you served in the Afghan war and you still care about these people, chances are you’re probably part of the digital Dunkirk," Zeller told Fox News.

He said it started as an "army of veterans" getting pinged by Afghans, but that the network has grown to include organizations for human rights, faith and political advocacy.

"It’s incredible," Zeller said. "It’s not just veterans. Literally it’s pastors, it’s my mom, it’s my relatives, people who have never served in Afghanistan ... widows, widowers, children of people who served."

"We’ve had intel analysts who have come and started doing satellite imagery analysis and actually putting together products for people where they’re mapping out Taliban checkpoints in real time using social media data" to provide safe routes to the airport, Zeller told Fox News.

The Taliban have said it would forgive any Afghans who helped the U.S. during the war. But the extremist group has established checkpoints blocking the path to the airport in Kabul, and numerous reports have indicated that they’re either recording or killing anyone they find that allied against them.
Posted by Besoeker 2021-08-22 13:06|| || Front Page|| [11136 views ]  Top
 File under: Taliban/IEA 

#1 I have to wonder if UK and French SOF are on the distro list ?
Posted by Besoeker 2021-08-22 13:33||   2021-08-22 13:33|| Front Page Top

#2 The Biden administration has faced fierce criticism that the U.S. hasn’t made their evacuation more of a priority.
The US Congress deserves a majority of the criticism for this laps. They had 20 years to prepare for this eventuality and did as little as they possibly could. The Afghan interpreters & their family's lives were at risk long before the fall of Kabul.
Posted by Bubba Lover of the Faeries8843 2021-08-22 13:41||   2021-08-22 13:41|| Front Page Top

#3 when, in the history of the world, have moslems forgiven anyone once they are in power?
Posted by Retard Strength 2021-08-22 14:03||   2021-08-22 14:03|| Front Page Top

#4 And the entire federal government is unable to do this because...?

Seriously, kudos to these analysts and veterans who are doing the work that needs to be done!
Posted by Tom 2021-08-22 14:25||   2021-08-22 14:25|| Front Page Top

#5 A capability we may someday need right here at home.
Posted by Besoeker 2021-08-22 19:50||   2021-08-22 19:50|| Front Page Top

#6 And the entire federal government is unable to do this because...?

Some questions just sort of answer themselves.
Posted by Matt 2021-08-22 20:14||   2021-08-22 20:14|| Front Page Top

#7 /\ Whahhahaha, snort.
Posted by Besoeker 2021-08-22 21:00||   2021-08-22 21:00|| Front Page Top

#8 God Bless Them.
Posted by Ebbomoger Speaking for Boskone4589 2021-08-22 22:02||   2021-08-22 22:02|| Front Page Top

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