Pentagon confirms two Afghan soldiers training in Mass. made it to Canada

Two Afghan soldiers who went missing after finishing training on Cape Cod made it all the way to Canada, the Pentagon confirmed to Boston 25 News.

Boston 25 News initially broke the story that Afghan soldiers vanished in Massachusetts for the second time in four years. Now, Boston 25 News reporter Ted Daniel has learned this is an ongoing problem, and is happening all over the country.

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Since 2005, 152 Afghan trainees have gone missing in the United States, according to a report issued by the government's leading oversight authority on Afghanistan reconstruction.

Of the 152, 83 fled the country or remain unaccounted for, and are described as a "security risk to the United States."

The two Afghan soldiers vanished from Logan International Airport on Saturday, as they were supposed to be put on a flight home following a training exercise at Joint Base Cape Cod.

However, when the plane took off, they weren't on it.

"We are aware of reports two Afghan army officers in the U.S. went missing," a statement from the Pentagon read. "Both Afghan officers have since been detained by Canadian authorities."

In 2014, three Afghan Army officers invited for the same training exercise walked away during a group outing at the Cape Cod Mall. They were also found at the Canadian border.

Citing the deteriorating conditions in Afghanistan, the inspector general report says "the AWOL rate is likely to either remain steady or increase."

Northeastern University professor Max Abrahms said the Afghan soldiers are likely seeking a better life, and somehow keep slipping through the cracks.

"There should be basic vetting, and Centcom says they did this vetting," Abrahms said. "But, apparently they didn't do it very well, and we need to know who these guys are."

The inspector general's report issued many recommendations to reduce the number of Afghans going AWOL in this country.

So far, very few of the recommendations have been implemented.

Cox Media Group