Thursday December 20

Meeting the Afghans

I spent the day in Tombstone and Camp Shorabak – which is the neighbouring ANA base.

We hear that General Moheeden Ghori – the ANA commander for Helmand – is in the area and we ask if there would be a chance to interview him.

He is a bit wary of the media because he has been stitched up by journalists in the past but I keep my fingers crossed.

As we wandered around Shorabak I spotted ANA soldiers carving up meat for a special meal to celebrate the Muslim festival of Eid.

Again they were friendly enough and happy to have their picture taken. There are also large piles of wood which will be used in the traditional cooking process in the middle of the desert.

I interviewed an Afghan interpreter who is working with the British Army and am shocked to think that he is seen as a target by the Taliban.

Apparently the order has gone out for Taliban soldiers to kill the ‘ears’ of the British. I was also surprised when he refused the offer of my desert scarf to hide his identity – because he did not want to look like a terrorist.

General Moheeden gave me permission to interview him, via an interpreter which was another first for me, which I found a great honour considering his distrust of the media.

He fought alongside the Russians during the Soviet invasion and I was well treated and given a very nice cup of tea.

It is quite a revelation when he says he is more scared being interviewed by me rather than fighting the enemy.

Some of the 2 Yorks troops have just returned from Sangin – to the north east of Bastion and on the Helmand border – they look shattered and had experienced repeated attacks from the Taliban.