Effort underway to rescue girls soccer team from Afghanistan

By ALEX SANZ and TAMMY WEBBER
Associated Press

An international effort is underway to evacuate members of Afghanistan’s girls national soccer team and their families over fears of reprisal by the Taliban. The effort known as Operation Soccer Balls suffered a setback last week after a suicide bombing at the airport in Kabul. There have been at least five failed attempts to rescue the girls in recent days as they were moved around for their safety. Most members of the Afghan women’s team were evacuated to Australia last week. The Taliban forbid women and girls to play sports.