Italian army Afghan interps hope for last ditch special forces rescue
John Phillips
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27 August 2021
Mirco, reputedly responsible for coordinating Italy's evacuation of Afghan interpreteres
ROME -- As Western troops wind down their beleaguered evacuation missions at Kabul airport, at least seven families of intepreters who worked for the Italian army hoped that they may be plucked to safety at the last minute by one of the convoys that France and other countries organised in the capital, family members say. The last two Italian C-130 aircraft were scheduled to leave Kabul airport Friday, military sources said.
"There are around seven families who have tried so much in the last 10 days to get in but were unsuccessful," said Fazlullah Moslim, an interpreter who was flown to safety in Italy last week after being brought into the airport with his family by Italian special force soldiers after a four day wait and hazardous journey from Herat.
"They got sick, got sunburns, gone hungry for multiple days, didn't sleep for days, and so on. They say the Taliban have blocked all the roads and valleys going to Kabul Airport gates," he told Italian Insider.
"It's now impossible to arrive even close to the gates. They say that some countries have established gathering spots in the downtown. They build caravans of buses and easily get into the airport in an organized and orchestrated fashion."
"For instance, they say that the French authorities have established the spot at The French Medical Institute for Mothers and Children in Kabul."
In charge of the Italian last-ditch efforts to rescue those who worked for Italy is an energetic member of the military known only as Mirco. However one interpreter who tried to call Mirco recently, Sherbaz, said he had his number blocked, suggesting that Italy also is about to end its discreet but effective evacuation operation.
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