Word: haji
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...greeting swallowed mine whole in a fleshy palm, then wrapped it in fingers fat like German sausages. Over his grey kameez and flowing shirt he wore a neat-cut waistcoat. A bushy black beard tumbled from his face. He talked slowly; the same as he moved. "[Helmand] Governor Haji Shir Mohammed and American soldiers have gone on this road to Kajaki [a town to the north in the Baghran area], " he said...
...Inside there were weapons everywhere, draped from every shoulder, positioned on every roof; far more than in similar posts in Kandahar. District commander Haji Abdul Mohammed granted us an audience, surrounded by his curious soldiers in black turbans (one carrying an M-16 made in Kentucky in 1975) and his senior lieutenants in white turbans. Haji Abdul is quite an old man, his beard more grey than black. He told us Rais the Baghran began surrendering eight days ago. The day before troops from this outpost accompanied 20 U.S. Special Forces and governor Haji Shir Mohammed as far north towards...
...mujahid who fought long against the Taliban, Haji Abdul is nonetheless from this district, and his ties here show in his stance toward the local Taliban. "All of the Taliban soldiers were from our tribes; they were not criminals," he said, meaning there were no foreign Taliban among them. When he assumed command in Musa Qal'eh one month ago there was no Taliban resistance, despite northern Helmand being one of their strongest centers. The lack of resistance is not because their forces withdrew. "They are still living here," said Haji Abdul. "The Afghan Taliban are our relatives, our brothers...
...spent the night at Haji Abdul's headquarters; a few derelict buildings and a dying garden. Over dinner he wanted to talk more about our plans. He too couldn't give soldiers without the governor's permission, "but I must call him at 8pm and I will ask." Later he said he could not make contact, though he did seem better informed about the governor's movements. He began to tell stories about the perils of the road to Baghran, saying "if you paid me $500 I would not give you a vehicle, so badly damaged would...
...Saturday morning Haji Abdul told us the governor was en route from Baghran. "He will come here and see you," he said, convincing us to wait. It was not long. The iron gates flung open and grimy 4x4s zoomed in. Haji Shir Mohammed had arrived. Shorter and younger than I had somehow expected, he told us Baghran was peaceful, the surrender a success. Rais the warlord had forsaken his power. "Rais is an old man, a leader of his tribe and a supporter of the government. He will live in the future as a white-bearded old man and will...