The Nepali Guards Caught in the Chaotic US Evacuation of Afghanistan
“The Nepali Guards Caught in the Chaotic US Evacuation of Afghanistan”
…From one end of the Himalayas to the other, thousands of Nepalis recruited as security guards to protect embassies and compounds in Afghanistan left their families and homes behind for pay of about $4 per hour. During a typical 12-hour shift, they held dangerous positions…
…Around the time of the evacuations, the U.S. Central Command reported that out of the nearly 27,000 contractors working for the United States in Afghanistan, only 11,000 of them (around 40 percent) were American…
… at least 12 Nepali guards hired under U.S. government subcontracts were killed or injured in Afghanistan…
Neither the U.S. nor Nepali governments were responsible for evacuating the guards safely. Instead, their safety and well-being was left in the hands of GardaWorld, the private security company which had contracted them…
Other than receiving some compensation for their lost belongings and salary, they never heard from GardaWorld again. Two years later, most are still unemployed…