The Road to Afghanistan - George Washington University

the other leaders of the faction who had been sent abroad as ambassadors would beconsidered the main instigators of the alleged plot. Karmal called Baryalai in Islamabad,Najib in Tehran, Anahita Ratebzad in Belgrade, Nur in Washington, and Vakil in London anddiscussed the current situation with them. At the same time all the ambassadors—Parchamis—were ordered by Kabul to return home, some “for consultations,” others “to beappointed to new positions.” Karmal got in touch with his Soviet comrades and asked themfor advice. Two vans arrived at his residence a day later. The family’s personal belongingswere loaded in those vans. The ambassador, his family members, and his secretary quicklyleft for an unknown location.Czech security operatives brought them to a hunting lodge that was located onehundred kilometers from Prague. The new residence was a comfortable estate hidden in adeep forest. It was impossible to believe that someone could discover Karmal’s shelter,which was only linked with the outside world by telephone. However, being well versed inthe rules of conspiracy, Karmal knew that he had to be very discreet when having hisinfrequent telephone conversations. For a long time, even his closest allies had no idea hewas alive. The allies also left their respective embassies and went into hiding, first inBelgrade, then in Paris.Karmal and his wife spent a long time trying to determine what to do regardingtheir children’s higher education. They took a great risk by letting their older son Vostok,who was so named after the Soviet spaceship, enroll in Prague University, and theirdaughter Anahita continue her studies at Moscow State University. Vostok and Anahitaattended classes without any bodyguards.Amin made an attempt to send a group of killers to Czechoslovakia to find and492