Special Forces Interpreter: An Afghan on Operations with the Coalition

"...this firsthand account of life as an Afghan interpreter provides the reader with the unambiguous evidence of the power of education and the expanded independent thinking that goes with it. It is an expose on the human condition, what drive can discover, what education can empower, and what expanded perspective can achieve." ― Inter Populum: Journal of Irregular Warfare and Special Operations

Eddie Idrees, a pseudonym for security reasons, has a fascinating and inspiring story to tell. Born in Afghanistan, he spent time as a refugee in Pakistan during the civil war dreaming of serving with the military. As this unique memoir reveals, his wishes came true in spades.

For eight years from 2004, Eddie worked as an interpreter with, first, American Special Forces before moving across to the Special Air Service. A veteran of over 500 operations, he describes the most notable ones including breaking into a Taliban prison to free prisoners about to be executed. He was the first Afghan interpreter to parachute in with the SAS.

His aim in writing his story is to explain the interpreter’s role and contribution and the challenges and threats they faced, not just from the Taliban. For all the media attention, these have never been fully understood.

Eddie concludes by describing his experiences and emotions on leaving his fractured and politically corrupt homeland and making a new life in the United Kingdom.

Special Forces Interpreter demands to be read and not just for its vivid and thrilling descriptions of Special Forces’ operations.

Eddie Idrees (not his real name) was born in Kabul in 1985. His father was a colonel in the Afghan army and his mother a university lecturer. He went to school initially in Afghanistan before moving with his family, out of necessity during the civil war, to Peshawar, Pakistan for secondary and higher education.

From 2004 he worked for the Americans and US special forces before being assigned to the US Army Counter-Insurgency Academy in Kabul. In 2009 he was re-deployed to the British Special Air Service with whom he interpreted and operated until 2012.

He emigrated to the United Kingdom later that year. He has since gained a degree at a leading university and is currently studying for his Masters at another.