“We have hours” – US Army captain calls for rescue of Afghan interpreter

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Aug 20 (Reuters) – Fearing that there are only hours to avoid capture, a former US Army captain who served in the war in Afghanistan is pushing for the rescue of his former interpreter.

Scott Henkel served during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2006 and 2007 as the Army Alpha Team Leader.

In an interview, Henkel said he spent “all” of his time in Afghanistan with his interpreter whom he called “Kevin”, his nickname, to protect his identity. Henkel also declined to specify the province where the two worked together.

Now 46, Henkel lives in Colorado and works as a project manager for a cybersecurity company.

“I relied on my interpreter to help me navigate the culture, navigate the protocols and overcome the language barrier,” he said.

Among “Kevin’s” most valued contributions, Henkel said, was his ability to spot local leaders who had ties to the Taliban.

“He could tell there was a reign of fear that was taking place,” said Henkel.

He also recalled a case where “we were actually hit in a valley and we had to call in close air support to rescue us as we had hundreds of Taliban in those positions in those hills. Kevin was the one who got us there. said in advance, ‘Hey, this was going to happen.’ “

Based on Henkel’s experience with the Taliban, he believes the group will target those who have worked with foreigners first.

Members of the US Department of Defense provide security while escorting evacuees to Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, August 17, 2021. US Air Force / Senior Airman Taylor Crul / Handout via REUTERS

“They have a list of all the interpreters who have ever worked for NATO,” he said. “The only acceptable sentence for them is death. And that extends to his family (Kevin).”

The Taliban, for their part, said in a June statement that the former interpreters were not in danger, but should “show remorse.”

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the United States would seek to evacuate as many Afghan interpreters as possible.

When Henkel heard of US plans to pull out after a 20-year engagement in Afghanistan, he was “enraged.”

Having led combat operations himself, “there is usually an exfil plan – exfil means an exfiltration plan … I don’t see it happening right now,” a situation Henkel called “unacceptable” to the estimated 18,000 Afghan translators and their families.

According to Henkel, “Kevin” and his family were turned back to local airfields by US forces as they tried to escape, despite pressure to get him to leave US Representatives Joe Neguse and veteran Jason Crow, all two Colorado Democrats.

Crow’s office confirmed his plea over the phone. Neguse was not immediately available for comment.

“It’s pure chaos,” Henkel said, “Kevin” told him by text Friday morning.

The veteran and his interpreter communicate as always via the online chat.

“We even discussed that it wouldn’t be great someday if our kids could play together in a playground together. And we could grow old next to each other,” he said.

Reporting by Dan Fastenberg; Editing by Diane Craft

Our Standards: Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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