The Road to Afghanistan - George Washington University

should be prepared for a very important, perhaps tragic, event, either currently developingor having just occurred. Mahmoud was an Afghan officer, a member of the CentralCommittee of the People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA). He was well versed inthe political intrigues of his country and had a discerning eye for important informationpertinent to his many contacts. Mahmoud would not make an emergency call lightly.In those days, Kabul was shaken by a series of destabilizing events. Nine daysearlier, on April 17, unknown figures had assassinated Mir Akbar Khyber, one of theleaders of the PDPA. Khyber had been widely regarded as the “honor and conscience” of theparty. No one took responsibility for the assassination. No one could with certainty namethe assassins or those who had ordered the murder to be carried out. The PDPAimmediately took advantage of the incendiary atmosphere in the wake of the tragedy torally thousands of protestors in the streets. Khyber’s funeral became an impressive antigovernmentdemonstration. Among the participants were not only PDPA members andsupporters, but also many residents of Kabul who had never before shown interest inpolitics, much less taken part in a protest.The president of the country, Mohammad Daoud, was indignant and apprehensive.Never before in the history of Afghanistan had so many people taken to the streets todemonstrate their unhappiness with the governing regime. After long considerations andconsultations with his closest advisors, President Daoud decided to take a gamble. Heissued an arrest warrant for seven leaders of the PDPA. The list of names included thegeneral secretary, Nur Muhammad Taraki, and his deputy, Babrak Karmal.In the quiet April days following Khyber’s burial, Bubnov and his colleagues sensedanger fermenting in the capital. At 8:30 p.m. Bubnov took his aged blue Toyota to the8