Jalalabad

 

Lat = 34 degrees, 25.5 minutes North

Long = 70 degrees, 28.6 minutes East

 

Friday 18th March 1988

 

The Cessna caravan aircraft began its descent in the dark; oil-fired fires burning on either side illuminated the makeshift landing strip, the plane touched down and began to taxi over to a small well-lit building.

Ali Hussein disembarked from the plane, “unload the equipment as fast as you can,” He ordered.

Hussein walked over to the building where Iqbal Mozafari was waiting.

“Greetings Ali; this is my partner Bakhat Hassan.” Hassan approached Hussein; “Iqbal has mentioned you on many occasions, you service’s in the past having been greatly appreciated.”

“My men and me are always pleased to be of service providing the money is right,” Ali remarked.

Mozafari interrupted them; “Our meeting with the warlord is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon at three p.m. I have a room booked for you with us at the Springhar Hotel in Jalalabad.”

That’s fine by me, I’ll get my men to sleep outside the town for tonight, and I’ll meet you at the hotel within the hour,” replied Hussein.

Mozafari and Hassan turned, walked over to and entered a waiting taxi, which drove the five miles distance to the town of Jalalabad.

Parked nearby were two minibuses, Hussein and his men’s transport. “Right load up in the minibuses, you lot are camping out tonight, whilst I will have to suffer a night in a Hotel.”

The men began to laugh, they picked up their equipment, and a few minutes later the two minibuses were heading down the same road the taxi had taken.

Two miles outside the town, the minibuses stopped by a ruined building; the fifteen men and Hussein climbed out and walked over to the ruined building.

“I’ll be back in the morning, stay here until then.”

Hussein returned to the minibus, and continued along the road, within a few minutes the lights of Jalalabad became visible.

The minibus stopped outside the Springhar Hotel set in its own large grounds in the center of the town.

Hussein stepped out and walked over to the entrance and entered the building.