When the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan following the withdrawal of U.S. troops, Jason Kander — an Army veteran and the former Missouri Secretary of State — was nearly 7,000 miles away.
He started planning a wedding at a hotel north of Kabul.
Relatives of Kander's interpreter, along with many other Afghan civilians, were at risk if they stayed in the country. But Kander, along with other veterans, was determined to bring them to safety.
The plan, named "Operation Bella," required the quick and secretive movement of nearly 400 people. Under the guise of the wedding, 75 families — none of whom had prior knowledge of the rescue mission — waited anxiously at a hotel banquet hall, as Taliban militants prowled outside the doors.
Women and children in the group helped keep the Taliban at bay as Kander and others worked to secure the proper documents to fly the civilians out of the country.
"The bravery of these people is just unmatched," Kander told KCUR's Up To Date.
Kander will share more details of "Operation Bella" in an interview with "60 Minutes" on CBS, Sunday, Dec. 1 at 6:00 p.m.
- Jason Kander, Army veteran and former Missouri Secretary of State
