Hamid Karzai travelled to Herat for talks with Ismail Khan. Karzai was accompanied by three ministers in his first trip to a provincial capital since his administration took office in December. Karzai was due to meet Herat governor Khan but no details on the purpose of the surprise visit were announced. The visit comes amid growing concern about unrest in the provinces, where Karzai has yet to fully establish the writ of his administration. Khan, an ethnic Tajik commander, has voiced his support for Karzai's government and denied reports that he is receiving military aid from neighbouring Iran across the western border.
The Duke of Herat represents a power center that Karzai has to bring into the fold of the administration. Despite his recently incurred debt to Iran, he's still probably the best of the lot of the warlords. |