i was thinking i could make it. >> reporter: for zelar, it was a fight for shinwari's life. he became a marked man after the two were caught in a taliban ambush in eastern afghanistan. >> we saw the first truck was blown up by i.e.d. and i saw later that he was away from the other unit and they kept shooting. against the taliban. >> reporter: zelar said that's when shinwary shot and killed two insurgents sneaking behind them. >> he saved my life. >> and he saved my life. >> well, we're even. >> reporter: zelar made a promise to a man he says became like a brother to him all those years ago on the front lines. >> he told me one day he would bring me home. and united states is my home. >> reporter: by all accounts, afghans who serve alongside, would kill insurgents to save americans are now under dire threat from taliban retribution. >> when i was in taliban, a huge part of my life, i thought i would get killed. >> reporter: after years of waiting, he and his families got special seize visas under a special program for afghans and iraqis who fought alongside u.s. forces. but t

. >> the last time they saw each other, matt zelar, and janice shinwari were in afghanistan, fightingside by side, against the taliban. >> i had a brother here to fight for me. and i was thinking that i could make it. >> reporter: for zelar, it was a fight for shinwary's life. he became a marked man after the two were caught in a taliban ambush in eastern afghanistan. >> we saw their first truck was blown up by ied. and i saw that he was away from the other unit. and they kept shooting against the it taliban. >> reporter: zelar said that's when shinwary shot and killed two insurgents sneaking up behind him. >> he saved my life. >> and you saved my life. >> wow. we're even. >> he said he became like a brother to him, all of those years ago on the front line. >> he told me that one day he will bring me home. and the united states is my home. >> reporter: by all accounts, afghans who serve alongside u.s. forces, those like shinwary, would kill unsergents -- insurgents to save americans are under dire retribution. >> when i was in afghanistan, a huge part of my life, i thought i would get