To The Mountains yet again

Reflections on Afghanistan as I write the afterword for the paperback edition

I came to Afghanistan several years ago to research To The Mountains: My life in Jihad from Algeria to Afghanistan. I wanted to meet the men that Abdullah Anas, the book’s protagonist talked about looking through their memories. But even as I did so, defeat was written on the reinforced blast door at the Intercontinental overlooking Kabul. It wasn’t possible to go out and explore the city because the night belonged to the Talibs. I had barely put my bag down when news arrived that there had been an explosion at Uranus Hall half an hour away. A suicide bomber had killed and maimed over fifty people most of them religious clerics who had gathered to celebrate the Prophet’s birthday.