The governor of Kandahar called a mass meeting at the site of Taliban executions to pledge loyalty to Kabul and say he would not attack a neighboring warlord. Thousands of Afghans gathered in the Kandahar sports stadium to hear local leaders call for the return of ex-King Zahir Shah and the establishment of a loya jirga, or tribal grand council, to decide Afghanistan's future. Governor Gul Agha told about 13,000 people that no attack would take place against Herat warlord Ismail Khan without orders from the interim government in Kabul. "We will follow the orders of our leaders in Kabul," Agha said, dismissing remarks this week by his intelligence chief, Haji Gullalai that 20,000 troops were poised for an operation against Khan's mainly Tajik fighters based in the western city.
Someone must have mentioned "daisy cutter." They've been wanting to invade Herat since a day or two after the Taliban beat it. |