The Road to Afghanistan - George Washington University

The Road to Afghanistan - George Washington University The Road to Afghanistan - George Washington University

13.07.2015 Views

Babrak Karmal was an educated and intelligent man. He knew the history of his countryand the mentality of his people well. He knew Afghans would never forgive him for this.While the campaign for the forthcoming transfer of power in Kabul was kept secret,the operation for the physical delivery of the future head of state into Afghanistan wasshrouded in impenetrable secrecy.Kryuchkov invited officers from Special Detachment “A,” headed by Major Izotov.“You will be in charge of guarding the leaders of a friendly country. If anything happens tothem, you will be court marshaled. Is that clear? You depart from Moscow tomorrow.”There were two people to guard: a man of average height, with dark complexion andan aquiline nose, and a dark-skinned Oriental woman with a regal posture and a welcomingexpression on her face.Izotov’s officers were not informed who these people were, or where they weresupposed to travel. Just in case, the major armed his group, which consisted of four people,to the teeth. They were joined at Vnukovo Airport by two foreign intelligence operatives,Petrov and Chicherin, neither of whom spoke a word. Only before the departure were somethings clarified. Andropov’s personal pilot, Colonel Naganov, reported to the guests onboard the Tu-134: “Comrade Babrak Karmal, the crew is prepared to leave from Moscow toTashkent with the following connecting flight to Bagram.”The man with the dark complexion, who was named Babrak Karmal, warmly shookthe pilot’s hand and walked into the front section of the plane after Anahita Ratebzad.Petrov followed him, while Izotov took advantage of the pause and asked Chicherin, “Canyou at least explain to us in what country Bagram is located?”672

Chicherin glanced at the protection group with surprise. “What do you mean?Weren’t you told? It is in Afghanistan.”The colonel from the KGB branch in Uzbekistan, who met them when the planelanded in Tashkent, informed them that their departure to Bagram was postponed for now.“We have received an order to take you to the dacha of the first secretary of the CommunistParty of Uzbekistan.The group quickly boarded three Volgas with curtained windows and drove toRashidov’s country residence. They waited for their flight to Afghanistan for several days.During those several days, the guards surmised that they were protecting the futurepresident of Afghanistan and his loyal companion. The members of the group, includingAnahita Ratebzad, were given soldier’s fatigues without epaulets or distinguishing marks.Rashidov’s dacha was well protected by Uzbek KGB operatives. That was why Izotovand his team had no particular cause for concern. They entertained themselves by fishingin a nearby pond. Naturally, the subjects under protection were watched constantly. Once,Misha Golovatov, a young lieutenant, accompanied Karmal during his walk around thedacha’s fenced territory. A local security operative, riding a bike, suddenly appeared frombehind a curve of the alley. Seeing the Afghan, he immediately jumped off the bike, fell tothe ground, and covered his face with his hands until the guests walked away. Such was thedegree of secrecy around the operation.Once they finally received the go-ahead to leave, this secrecy nearly cost the groupmembers their lives. Andropov’s personal plane landed in Bagram late at night. However, inorder to conceal the landing, the airdrome’s lights were turned off. The airplane had toengage its parachute brake, which barely kept it from overshooting the landing strip. Only673

Babrak Karmal was an educated and intelligent man. He knew the his<strong>to</strong>ry of his countryand the mentality of his people well. He knew Afghans would never forgive him for this.While the campaign for the forthcoming transfer of power in Kabul was kept secret,the operation for the physical delivery of the future head of state in<strong>to</strong> <strong>Afghanistan</strong> wasshrouded in impenetrable secrecy.Kryuchkov invited officers from Special Detachment “A,” headed by Major Izo<strong>to</strong>v.“You will be in charge of guarding the leaders of a friendly country. If anything happens <strong>to</strong>them, you will be court marshaled. Is that clear? You depart from Moscow <strong>to</strong>morrow.”<strong>The</strong>re were two people <strong>to</strong> guard: a man of average height, with dark complexion andan aquiline nose, and a dark-skinned Oriental woman with a regal posture and a welcomingexpression on her face.Izo<strong>to</strong>v’s officers were not informed who these people were, or where they weresupposed <strong>to</strong> travel. Just in case, the major armed his group, which consisted of four people,<strong>to</strong> the teeth. <strong>The</strong>y were joined at Vnukovo Airport by two foreign intelligence operatives,Petrov and Chicherin, neither of whom spoke a word. Only before the departure were somethings clarified. Andropov’s personal pilot, Colonel Naganov, reported <strong>to</strong> the guests onboard the Tu-134: “Comrade Babrak Karmal, the crew is prepared <strong>to</strong> leave from Moscow <strong>to</strong>Tashkent with the following connecting flight <strong>to</strong> Bagram.”<strong>The</strong> man with the dark complexion, who was named Babrak Karmal, warmly shookthe pilot’s hand and walked in<strong>to</strong> the front section of the plane after Anahita Ratebzad.Petrov followed him, while Izo<strong>to</strong>v <strong>to</strong>ok advantage of the pause and asked Chicherin, “Canyou at least explain <strong>to</strong> us in what country Bagram is located?”672

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