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              3 Afghan Soldiers Missing from US Training Exercise

   by VOA News

   U.S. authorities are looking for three Afghan soldiers who went missing
   during a training exercise at a U.S. military base.

   Authorities at Joint Base Cape Cod in the U.S. northeastern state of
   Massachusetts reported the three missing Saturday. They were last seen
   at a shopping mall in Hyannis, Massachusetts.

   Massachusetts National Guard spokesman Lieutenant Colonel James Sahady
   said officials do not believe the soldiers pose a threat but are
   baffled about their disappearance.

   "There is no threat right now, and we are just concerned on where they
   are and where did they go," Sahady said. "And that is the good question
   right now. Did they go sightseeing or did they get lost, etc.? Or do
   they have other agendas that we do not know about at this time?"

   200 soldiers involved

   Sahady said the soldiers did not have access to weapons as part of the
   training exercise that involves about 200 soldiers from six countries,
   including 15 others from Afghanistan.

   The United States has conducted the annual training sessions since 2004
   as a way to promote better military coordination with other countries.

   The three soldiers were identified as Major Jan Mohammad Arash, Captain
   Mohammad Nasir Askarzada and Captain Noorullah Aminyar.

   Base authorities, state, and police were involved in the search for the
   missing soldiers on Sunday, Sahady said.

   The week-long exercise is scheduled to end on Wednesday.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/afghan-soldiers-missing-from-us-train
   ing-exercise/2458021.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/afghan-soldiers-missing-from-us-training-exercise/2458021.html