Commander Noorullah, who escorted the Afghan wounded to Kabul, says American troops accompanied them in six jeeps. “We had no information about the attack,” says Saboor. “The Americans only told us that we were going to be involved in a big military operation.” As they passed through a narrow valley with Afghan troops in the lead, the convoy came under fire from heavy machine guns and 82 millimeter mortar rounds. “We didn’t even see the enemy and didn’t have a chance to fight back,” Saboor says. One rocket landed in front of Saboor’s truck and shattered the windshield. The 45 Afghan soldiers in his truck began jumping over the side. A second rocket hit behind the truck. Saboor, who receives a monthly salary of $200 from the American troops, says the Afghan soldiers, armed with Kalashnikov rifles and rocket-propelled grenades, were dashing around in the early morning darkness trying to find cover. It was during this ambush that 28 Afghan soldiers and one American soldier were wounded, Noorullah says. One American soldier was killed.
Saboor says he saw a tall American with yellow hair get hit with shrapnel in the leg and back. American soldiers quickly called in an airstrike but the jets were targeted with anti-aircraft fire. “We didn’t expect to be attacked at that location,” Noorullah, 40, says. Mirwais, 28, who was shot in the left knee, says he was surprised that the American soldiers didn’t stand and fight. “They turned their jeeps around and quickly retreated,” he says.
After several rounds of bombing by the American jets, the attack stopped. American helicopters came in and evacuated the wounded. American medics tended to Abdul Saboor’s wounds. He was evacuated to Kabul with a wounded American soldier who was unconscious and wearing an oxygen mask.
For the past three months, US Special Forces, stationed at Gardez airport and an old mud-brick fort outside of Gardez, have been training Afghan soldiers at an enclosed garden near the Gardez television station. The wounded soldiers at Kabul hospital said the Americans had supplied them with all necessary equipment, including new boots, uniforms and AK-47s. The Afghan soldiers involved in Saturday’s attack were from Logar and Gardez province. Many were under the authority of Commander Zaidullah from Gardez. They say the American soldiers were friendly and tried to learn some basic Dari like “hello” and “thank you.” Mohammed Alem, 31, who was wounded in the left arm says the Afghan troops spent the night at Gardez airport, mainly in their vehicles, prior to the attack early Saturday morning.
