Gifts as Special Forces withdraw

With gifts of colourful carpets and traditional robes, a Northern Alliance warlord today bid farewell to American Special Forces who joined his fighters in the battle to seize Mazar-e-Sharif from the Taliban.

’’I thank you all for the experience of the last two months. It has been the greatest honour of my life,’’ responded an American soldier, who was identified only as Steve.

The city was taken by Northern Alliance fighters under the command of General Rashid Dostum in November, the first major Taliban-held city to fall in the Afghanistan fighting that was bolstered by US air strikes.

Small contingents of US ground forces also have taken part, including a dozen who worked with Dostum’s fighters in northern Afghanistan. The fighters said the Americans had ridden on horseback with them across the region’s rough terrain.

Those men are to be heading home soon and Dostum honoured them at a ceremony at his residence. Only four US soldiers attended; the absence of the others in the contingent was not explained.

The four, led by an officer identified as Captain Mark, and Dostum sat surrounded by about 100 of Dostum’s men, who were proudly holding Kalashnikov assault rifles.

’’Every one of you, from General Dostum to the soldiers that are here now, you were all heroes and we were honoured to be with you in Dara-e-Suf, Balkh and here in Mazar-e-Sharif,’’ said the captain.

’’We have accomplished much together in our fighting against the Taliban and al-Qaida. I want to leave you with one thing: that bond that united all of you in the Northern Alliance to fight the Taliban and al-Qaida must stay,’’ he said,.

In his turn, Dostum said ‘‘We will never forget you, we are sad about your departure, and please never forget that you have friends here. If you have any problems in or outside Afghanistan, I promise to help you.’’

The Americans handed out combat infantry badges to about two dozen of Dostum’s fighters. The combat badges are given to those in the infantry who endured hardship on the battlefield

One by one, Captain Mark gave badges to the alliance soldiers, shaking hands with them and embracing them. The first badge was given to General Dostum, who took it warmly and shook hands with Captain Mark. The American leader and Dostum’s soldiers spoke Russian to each other.

In return, Dostum presented the Americans with the traditional Uzbek robes called Chapan and Afghan carpets. He also gave them a horse blanket and an RPK machine gun.