They stated the Russians wish to entice hundreds of the previous elite Afghan commandos right into a “international legion” with provides of regular, $1,500-a-month funds and guarantees of protected havens for themselves and their households to allow them to keep away from deportation residence to what many assume could be dying by the hands of the Taliban.

“They don’t wish to go battle — however they don’t have any alternative,” stated one of many generals, Abdul Raof Arghandiwal, including that the dozen or so commandos in Iran with whom he has texted worry deportation most. “They ask me, ‘Give me an answer? What ought to we do? If we return to Afghanistan, the Taliban will kill us.’”

Arghandiwal stated the recruiting is led by the Russian mercenary power Wagner Group. One other common, Hibatullah Alizai, the final Afghan military chief earlier than the Taliban took over, stated the hassle can also be being helped by a former Afghan particular forces commander who lived in Russia and speaks the language.

The Russian recruitment follows months of warnings from U.S. troopers who fought with Afghan particular forces that the Taliban was intent on killing them and that they may be part of with U.S. enemies to remain alive or out of anger with their former ally.

A GOP congressional report in August particularly warned of the hazard that the Afghan commandos — skilled by U.S. Navy SEALs and Military Inexperienced Berets — might find yourself giving up details about U.S. techniques to the Islamic State group, Iran or Russia — or battle for them.

“We didn’t get these people out as we promised, and now it’s coming residence to roost,” stated Michael Mulroy, a retired CIA officer who served in Afghanistan, including that the Afghan commandos are extremely expert, fierce fighters. “I don’t wish to see them in any battlefield, frankly, however definitely not preventing the Ukrainians.”

Mulroy was skeptical, nevertheless, that Russians would be capable of persuade many Afghan commandos to hitch as a result of most he knew have been pushed by the will to make democracy work of their nation somewhat than being weapons for rent.

AP was investigating the Afghan recruiting when particulars of the hassle have been first reported by Overseas Coverage journal final week primarily based on unnamed Afghan army and safety sources. The recruitment comes as Russian forces reel from Ukrainian army advances and Russian President Vladimir Putin pursues a sputtering mobilization effort, which has prompted practically 200,000 Russian males to flee the nation to flee service.

Russia’s Protection Ministry didn’t reply to a request for remark. A spokesman for Yevgeny Prigozhin, who not too long ago acknowledged being the founding father of the Wagner Group, dismissed the concept of an ongoing effort to recruit former Afghan troopers as “loopy nonsense.”

The U.S. Protection Division additionally didn’t reply to a request for remark, however a senior official recommended the recruiting is no surprise provided that Wagner has been attempting to enroll troopers in a number of different nations.

It’s unclear what number of Afghan particular forces members who fled to Iran have been courted by the Russians, however one instructed the AP he’s speaking via the WhatsApp chat service with about 400 different commandos who’re contemplating provides.

He stated many like him worry deportation and are indignant on the U.S. for abandoning them.

“We thought they may create a particular program for us, however nobody even considered us,” stated the previous commando, who requested anonymity as a result of he fears for himself and his household. “They simply left us all within the arms of the Taliban.”

The commando stated his supply included Russian visas for himself in addition to his three youngsters and spouse who’re nonetheless in Afghanistan. Others have been provided extensions of their visas in Iran. He stated he’s ready to see what others within the WhatsApp teams determine however thinks many will take the deal.

U.S. veterans who fought with Afghan particular forces have described to the AP practically a dozen circumstances, none confirmed independently, of the Taliban going home to deal with searching for commandos nonetheless within the nation, torturing or killing them, or doing the identical to members of the family if they’re nowhere to be discovered.

Human Rights Watch has stated more than 100 former Afghan troopers, intelligence officers and police have been killed or forcibly “disappeared” simply three months after the Taliban took over regardless of guarantees of amnesty. The United Nations in a report in mid-October documented 160 extrajudicial killings and 178 arrests of former authorities and army officers.

The brother of an Afghan commando in Iran who has accepted the Russian supply stated Taliban threats make it troublesome to refuse. He stated his brother needed to conceal for 3 months after the autumn of Kabul, shuttling between kinfolk’ homes whereas the Taliban searched his residence.

“My brother had no different alternative apart from accepting the supply,” stated the commando’s brother, Murad, who would solely give his first title due to worry the Taliban would possibly observe him down. “This was not a simple resolution for him.”

Former Afghan military chief Alizai stated a lot of the Russian recruiting effort is targeted on Tehran and Mashhad, a metropolis close to the Afghan border the place many have fled. Not one of the generals who spoke to the AP, together with a 3rd, Abdul Jabar Wafa, stated their contacts in Iran know what number of have taken up the supply.

“You get army coaching in Russia for 2 months, and then you definately go to the battle traces,” learn one textual content message a former Afghan soldier in Iran despatched to Arghandiwal. “A lot of personnel have gone, however they’ve misplaced contact with their households and mates altogether. The precise statistics are unclear.”

An estimated 20,000 to 30,000 Afghan particular forces fought with the People through the two-decade conflict, and only some hundred senior officers have been airlifted out when the U.S. army withdrew from Afghanistan. Since lots of the Afghan commandos didn’t work immediately for the U.S. army, they weren’t eligible for particular U.S. visas.

“They have been those who fought to the actually final minute. They usually by no means, by no means, by no means talked to the Taliban. They by no means negotiated,” Alizai stated. “Leaving them behind is the largest mistake.”

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Condon reported from New York. AP writers Rahim Faiez in Islamabad and Tara Copp in Washington contributed to this report.