Word: kabul
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Lean, wiry Bacha Sakao, "The Water Carrier," bandit King of Afghanistan sat, unconcerned, in the capital city of Kabul last fortnight while the King he drove from the throne, plump, oily Amanullah, prestidigitated in far off Kandahar to show his fitness to rule...
Born. To King Amanullah and Queen Thuraya of Afghanistan; at Kandahar, their second-biggest city, where the King was girding his forces to recapture Kabul, the Capital, from Bandit Bacha Sakao, a son (eighth child...
First off, the doughty brigand Bacha Sakao, called "The Water Carrier," stormed Kabul and forced King Amanullah to abdicate in favor of his brother Inayatullah (TIME, Jan. 21). Secondly, the bandits continued their storming until Second-King-of-the-Week Inayatullah abdicated, hefted his 280 pounds into an airplane, flew away. (At this point the whereabouts of Amanullah were unknown and his assassination rumored.) Thirdly, the "Water Carrier" Bacha Sakao occupied the arg or citadel of Kabul and proclaimed himself "Padishah Habibullah...
Since "padishah" means "emperor," and since Habibullah was the name of the late father of Amanullah and Inayatullah, the usurper seemed to have aggravated his deed by adding every insult and presumption to injury. Radio flashes from Kabul first told that the Third-King-of- the-Week had restored order, then envisioned the British Minister to Afghanistan, Sir Francis Humphrys, as standing on the roof of his legation, peering about through powerful field glasses, espying only cowed citizens and their ferociously armed conquerors. Some of the bandits were described as "swathed in cartridge belts up to the eyes," and "jingling...
Five minutes after the arrival of His Majesty at Kandahar the royal standard was broken out from the Palace staff, exactly as if nothing had happened. Next day an airplane, heavy laden, arrived at Kandahar from Kabul via Peshawar, British India; and out slumped Big Brother Inayatullah. For him were flown no royal standards. Therefore the double abdication of last week appeared as nothing more than a successful double cross to outwit Bandit Bacha Sakao, and permit King Amanullah to stage a coup d' escape...