The Digital Dunkirk volunteer effort to get stranded American citizens and Afghan allies out of Afghanistan needs more time, as the collaborative effort by military veterans and others faces challenges posed by government bureaucracy, a Taliban takeover, and a Biden administration deadline.

The mammoth effort includes hundreds of military veterans working with the Pentagon, the State Department, and other officials in Washington, D.C., and Kabul. A host of military contractors, retired spies, Pentagon veterans, international aid workers, journalists, activists, and others have also joined in the disparate efforts.