I never understood why they did not simply zip tie and gag the three, given that a search party would have been sent out to look for them after some number of hours. By releasing them right away, they brought upon themselves a Taliban attack many hours earlier than would have otherwise have occurred. In that time span, they could have been evac'd out of the area. While getting out, they could have marked the area where the goat herders were tied up with WP.
They said they would have been eaten by wolves. I don’t understand why they didn’t tie the man and the rebel boy and send the younger one down. It would have at least bought them another 1/2 hour.