Afghans shrug off 9/11 anniversary

KABUL – Afghans were largely indifferent yesterday to the fifth anniversary of the September 11 attacks even as thousands of US troops hunting al-Qaeda militants here paused to commemorate the victims.

US Army Staff Sergeant Alicia Watkins wept during a memorial service at Camp Eggers, the main US base in Kabul, as she recalled how a hijacked jet plunged into the Pentagon while she worked there. “The details are still too hard to describe.It destroyed our office and more importantly killed my friend,” Watkins told hundreds of coalition troops gathered for the ceremony.But she said the attacks had merely strengthened the resolve of the United States and the US-led coalition of 20 000 US troops here.”I recognise the strength and the courage that flows through American blood,” she said.The top US commander in Afghanistan, Lieutenant General Karl Eikenberry, said the country was still a target despite democratic and social progress in the five years since US-led forces helped overthrow the hardline Taliban.”Afghanistan remains the target of international terrorists, Taliban extremists, narco-trafickers and very determined criminal elements,” he said.In a message to mark the anniversary, Afghan President Hamid Karzai thanked the United States for its help in ousting the Taliban from power and said the “war against terrorism” must continue with greater resolve.”I take this opportunity to express the deep appreciation of the Afghan people to the people of the United States for the sacrifices of your sons and daughters in Afghanistan, and for your generous support to the rebuilding of our country,” he said.The coalition, nearly all of them Americans, helped topple the Taliban in late 2001 as punishment for harbouring al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of the attacks on New York and Washington.It has been joined by 20 000 more troops from a Nato-led force in the fight to rid Afghanistan of the extremists and set it on the path of reconstruction.Nampa-AFP”The details are still too hard to describe.It destroyed our office and more importantly killed my friend,” Watkins told hundreds of coalition troops gathered for the ceremony.But she said the attacks had merely strengthened the resolve of the United States and the US-led coalition of 20 000 US troops here.”I recognise the strength and the courage that flows through American blood,” she said.The top US commander in Afghanistan, Lieutenant General Karl Eikenberry, said the country was still a target despite democratic and social progress in the five years since US-led forces helped overthrow the hardline Taliban.”Afghanistan remains the target of international terrorists, Taliban extremists, narco-trafickers and very determined criminal elements,” he said.In a message to mark the anniversary, Afghan President Hamid Karzai thanked the United States for its help in ousting the Taliban from power and said the “war against terrorism” must continue with greater resolve.”I take this opportunity to express the deep appreciation of the Afghan people to the people of the United States for the sacrifices of your sons and daughters in Afghanistan, and for your generous support to the rebuilding of our country,” he said.The coalition, nearly all of them Americans, helped topple the Taliban in late 2001 as punishment for harbouring al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of the attacks on New York and Washington.It has been joined by 20 000 more troops from a Nato-led force in the fight to rid Afghanistan of the extremists and set it on the path of reconstruction.Nampa-AFP