Missing Afghan soldiers found near Canadian border

Three Afghanistan National Army soldiers who went missing Saturday night from a Regional Cooperation training exercise were found Monday trying to cross the Canadian border near Niagara Falls, New York. Officers Jan Mohammad Arash, Captain Mohammad Nasir Askarzada and Captain Noorullah Aminyar were participating in a joint military training at Camp Edwards in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Officials say the men were unarmed and had no access to weapons during the exercise, which ends Wednesday. The men are currently in Canadian custody.

They were sent here to participate in this exercise. There’s no reason we have to believe that they are any threat.

Lt. Col. James Sahady, Massachusetts National Guard spokesman

There are 200 people from six nations participating in the exercise, including 15 officers and senior enlisted personnel from Afghanistan. The two-week annual exercise, sponsored this year by U.S. Central Command, is designed to strengthen relationships between the U.S. and participating nations. The soldiers arrived on Sept. 11.

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