Veteran: Plight of friend trapped in Afghanistan ‘a kick to the gut every single night’

SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah veteran said he’s growing more desperate to rescue the family of man who served as his interpreter in Afghanistan. 

The veteran, Braden Wayment, spoke with Dave & Dujanovic on KSL NewsRadio. He believes the Taliban is targeting innocent people because their family members served with the US military.

And he said conditions are becoming more dangerous every day.

A tale of two brothers

Recently, KSL NewsRadio highlighted the story of two brothers, Fardeen and Frogh.

Fardeen served as an interpreter for the US during the war in Afghanistan, and he later joined the US military, where he served with Wayment. While Fardeen is safe in the United States, his brother, Frogh, remains in Afghanistan. And Taliban forces have already threatened Frogh and his family because of Fardeen.

CNN recently received photos of a death warrant issued against the brother of a man who worked as a translator for American forces.  The warrant reads, “These court decisions are final and you will not have the right to object.”

It continues, “You chose this path for yourself and your death is imminent.”

Wayment said the CNN story does not refer to his friend Fardeen or his brother Frogh. However, he said, a similar death warrant has been issued against Frogh and his family.

“The situation is getting drastically out of hand,” Wayment said. 

Veteran on Afghanistan plight: Hopes constantly dashed

There are days when it appears safe enough for the family to travel to the airport in Kabul for passage out of the country, he says.  However, Frogh and his family keep getting rejected for not having the right paperwork.

“There has been a glimmer of hope every single day.  Then there has been a kick to the gut every single night,” Wayment said.

As tricky as it is for American citizens to get out of Afghanistan, Wayment said it’s much harder for Afghan citizens who supported the US during the war. Wayment said would-be refugees must show their passports, case numbers, and Afghan IDs and not everyone has those things at the ready.  He believes this process is more complicated than it needs to be.

“I had to provide on my word and on my honor that when they get them out, they’re going to be safe.  So, there have been background checks, which I understand,” according to Wayment.

For now, Wayment said he’s hearing nothing but excuses from the American government.  He said hundreds of veterans have resorted to using their own methods to speed up the process to get their friends and loved ones out of danger.

“I’ve heard everything from, ‘I’m just a state senator,’ to, ‘well, the Trump administration …’ or, ‘the Biden administration… .’ Just get out of my way if you’re going to say that,” he said.