The Zero Units Fought for the C.I.A. in Afghanistan. In the U.S., They’re Living in Fear.
The New York Times • • world
Key Points:
- Mohammad Iqbal, once a commander of over 1,000 soldiers in Afghanistan, was working maintenance at a hotel in El Cajon, California, when he learned of a shooting involving former members of his military unit.
- The shooting in Washington, D.C., was carried out by Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan refugee and former member of the CIA-funded Zero Units, a shadow army Iqbal had served with for over four years.
- The incident brought public attention to the Zero Units and highlighted that around 10,000 members and their families were evacuated to the U.S. during the 2021 American withdrawal from Afghanistan.
- In response to the attack, former President Trump announced a permanent pause on migration from certain
