Afghanistan election

An update from outside the rally of Aghanistan election candidate Abdullah Abdullah: – Read more of Lindsey Hilsum’s blogs from Afghanistan here.

Prose on the Afghan frontline, by Lindsey Hilsum: I had a book of World War II poetry with me while in Helmand with British troops.

Colonel Greville Bibby, ever the pukka officer, was trying to impress the deputy governor. They were sitting on red cushions in an empty building the military had commandeered. Chah-e-Anjir was under Taleban control until a few weeks ago, and they were there, along with the British ambassador, Mark Sedwell, to reassure the population that the…

The police chief sat on his swivel chair beneath a gold framed photograph of President Karzai, the national flag on one side and a giant plastic plant with red flowers the size of dinner plates on the other. “We have eradicated corruption in our police force!” said Colonel Asadullah Shirzaid, a small smile creeping across…