What were the Afghan "Zero Units" that the National Guard shooting suspect reportedly worked for?
CBS News • • nation
Key Points:
- An ID badge circulating online reportedly links the suspect in the National Guard shooting to the "Kandahar Strike Force" or "03" unit, part of the "Zero Units" that collaborated with U.S. forces during the Afghanistan war.
- The badge also references "Firebase Gecko," a CIA and special forces base in Kandahar located in the former compound of Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar.
- CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed the suspect previously worked with the U.S. government, including the CIA, as a member of a partner force in Kandahar, though CBS News has not independently verified the badge's authenticity.
- The "Zero Units," composed exclusively of Afghan nationals, operated under the National Directorate of Security (NDS