Talk about a story that makes you proud to be an American.
It’s no secret that Afghanistan is once again in a brutal state right now. After the US evacuation, the same evacuation that resulted in a suicide bombing that took the lives of 13 US military members, the country is once again in the hands of the Taliban.
But for one American soldier, he knows there are still others who need help escaping, including his family.
The anonymous soldier originally came to the U.S. from Afghanistan as a teenage refugee, just days before the devastating attacks of September 11th, 2001. A few years later, he joined the Army and was sent back to his war-torn home country of Afghanistan to fight in the war.
He was eventually honorably discharged after he suffered a traumatic brain injury, however, he recently returned to Afghanistan once more.
According to Fox News, he embarked on a insane solo rescue mission back to his home country to save his family, Christians, and other at-risk people who are stuck in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.
He says that he went to the U.S. government several times to receive some help, but never heard anything back, so he took matters into his own hands.
The former U.S. Army staff sergeant knew his family was in Kabul, and needed to save them after the withdrawal of U.S. troops, and there was no protection left for them. And if the Taliban found out they had connections with a U.S. soldier, it could cost them their lives.
The soldier, who’s chosen to remain anonymous for safety, recalled attempting getting help from the government, and why he took matters into his own hands:
“I pleaded for help from the U.S. government. I did not receive any. I had no choice but to come here myself after I learned that there was an ambush on my family’s house once more. I still haven’t heard anything from our government as far as any sort of assistance.”
The Veteran noted that the Taliban had fired shots at his family’s house and destroyed a lot of the home after firebombing it, once they figured out their connection to a former U.S. soldier.
The soldier said that he made his way illegally across the border a month ago, and was able to successfully rescue his family, but did not state which country they escaped to for their safety.
He’s also reported to have saved 30 people from the country, including a family of 10 Afghan Christians and other at-risk targets.
“Everyone in their neighborhood knew about it, and they started snitching on them. It feels good getting them out, saving them from the Taliban.”
He also noted that he was assaulted by the Taliban while on his mission:
“On my way back from this area, I got caught by the Taliban, and they lashed me on my back. I think it was only seven times, but had they known that I had actually just helped a Catholic family get out, it would have been worse. Far worse.
They say on the news that there is no U.S. soldier in Afghanistan. But I’m here, and I’ll help as long as it takes.
“‘m a proud American soldier. I’ve taken an oath, and I’ll never forget that oath.
You have to respect it.
This man is risking his own life to make sure that he’s saved as many at-risk Afghans as possible… the true definition of a hero.
