Afghan king ends 29 years in exile

Mohammad Zaher Shah, Afghanistan’s deposed king, ended 29 years in exile today, arriving at Kabul airport to a crowd of dignitaries and an honour guard.

It was a historic return that many believe will help bring stability to the war-torn country and unify its ethnic and tribal groups.

Flown in from Rome on an Italian military aircraft, Zaher Shah was accompanied by Afghanistan’s interim leader Hamid Karzai and six Afghan Cabinet ministers.