Mazar i-Sharif has fallen without much of a fight. The Taliban's grip on Afghanistan is looking all the more shaky. It seems as if the American policy to work with the warlords is paying dividends. Enemy fighters are surrendering to them. But is it all too rosy? In the centre of Mazar i-Sharif, the Americans take 400 Al-Qaeda captives to Qala-i-Jangi, the Fort of War. They believe they have surrendered. But all is not as it seems...

Listen as David McCloskey and Gordon Corera discuss the first CIA teams in Afghanistan in the days after 9/11.

Further Reading:

First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11 by Toby Harnden - buy it here.

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Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @triclassified

Editor: Vasco Andrade

Assistant Producer: Becki Hills

Producer: Callum Hill

Senior Producer: Dom Johnson

Exec Producer: Tony Pastor

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What will western and Syrian spy services be focusing on following the fall of Bashar al-Assad? Is Russia and Iran’s withdrawal from Syria similar to the US withdrawal from Afghanistan? Were the security services predicting that the Assad regime would collapse so quickly?

Join David McCloskey and Gordon Corera as they answer all these questions and more in this emergency episode of The Rest Is Classified.

For further reading, check out David and Gordon’s recommended profiles below:

Razan Saffour - @RazanSpeaks

Aaron Zelin - @azelin

Leila Al-Shami - @LeilaShami

Charles Lister - @Charles_Lister

Synaps Network - @SynapsNetwork

Kim Ghattas - @KimGhattas

Emma Beals - @ejbeals

Steve Heydemann - @SHeydemann

Rim Turkmani - @Rim_Turkmani

Lina Ghoutouk - @linaagho

Sednaya Missing - @sednayamissing

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It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee!

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @triclassified

Assistant Producer: Becki Hills

Producer: Callum Hill

Senior Producer: Dom Johnson

Exec Producer: Tony Pastor

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America knew Al-Qaeda were behind the 9/11 attacks before the day was out. They knew they were being sheltered by the Taliban in Afghanistan and so the CIA went after them. Small teams were dropped behind enemy lines with bags of cash and very little else, instructed to link up with Afghan warlords like Abdul Rashid Dostum. It proved to be a devastating combination as they began to sweep through Afghanistan.

Listen as Gordon Corera and David McCloskey discuss the first CIA teams first in Afghanistan after 9/11.

Further Reading:

First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11 by Toby Harnden - buy it here.

Get our exclusive NordVPN deal here ➼ www.nordvpn.com/restisclassified

It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee!

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @triclassified

Editor: Vasco Andrade

Producer: Callum Hill

Senior Producer: Dom Johnson

Exec Producer: Tony Pastor

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The first coup attempt has failed. The Shah has fled to Baghdad. The CIA have told Kermit he can leave if he's in a jam, but he chooses not to. He wants to finish the job. The streets of Tehran are chaos; protesters against the Shah are out in their thousands and things are getting violent. But in this Kermit sees an opportunity. If he stokes enough disorder will the majority of the capital turn against Mossadegh's radical supporters? What follows is a tale of dirty tricks, armed weightlifters, and, bizarrely, a series of Iranian politicians in their pyjamas...

Listen as David McCloskey and Gordon Corera tell the story of the 1953 Iranian coup orchestrated by the CIA and MI6.

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Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @triclassified

Editor: Kieron Leslie

Producer: Callum Hill

Senior Producer: Dom Johnson

Exec Producer: Tony Pastor

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Welcome... to the first episode of The Rest Is Classified!

It's Iran 1951. Mohammad Mossadegh, fuelled by an ever-growing nationalism, has just been elected Prime Minister. Immediately he chooses to nationalise the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, much to the anger of the British who control the majority stake. In response, MI6 are determined to destabilise his government and remove him from power. So they begin to conspire with the CIA. Kermit Roosevelt, grandson of Teddy Roosevelt and agency man, will go from Washington to Tehran and, building on existing instability, foment chaos on the streets. But it won't be plain sailing...

Listen as David McCloskey and Gordon Corera tell the story of the 1953 Iranian coup orchestrated by the CIA and MI6.

Get our exclusive NordVPN deal here ➼ www.nordvpn.com/restisclassified

It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee!

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @triclassified

Editor: Kieron Leslie

Producer: Callum Hill

Senior Producer: Dom Johnson

Exec Producer: Tony Pastor

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The Rest Is Classified takes you into the mysterious world of spies and espionage. Hosted by former CIA analyst now turned spy novelist, David McCloskey, and veteran security correspondent, Gordon Corera, they’ve experienced this field first-hand. It’s a world of shadows, shrouded in secrecy, but it affects every one of us. It’s time to bring it into the light.

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