Hobnobbing With a Hyena in Helmand Province

It’s almost like a dog. Well, except that it could rip your limbs off and grind your bones at once. But for reasons unknown, some members of the Afghan National Police in one of the check posts in Lashkar Gah have decided to domesticate a wild hyena, a beast they caught in the woods.

The hyena, as you will notice in the pictures below, lives inside a man-made den, a small hole burrowed in the ground. It is tied around its neck to a long chain and if the look in its eyes is any indication, the hyena is not enjoying his new home. But at least the soldiers feed it well (they said they do) and occasionally drag it out of the hole for an exhibition to journalists like us.

“It is the angriest beast I’ve ever seen,” said one policeman. Of course, it’s a bone-crusher.

My suggestion: The Afghan Police should start their special K-9 unit – except these canines would not sniff opium, they would chew flesh and bones. Maybe winning against the Taliban is not all that difficult. Just let the beasts out.

And if you know hyenas well enough, you will know who'll have the last laugh.

More photos below:





















All photos by Anup Kaphle

Helmand: A Nepalese View

I am not used to my appearance working in my favor. But one of the most frequent compliments I've bagged in Afghanistan is that I look like an Afghan, talk like an Afghan, and without my heavy load of body armor could possibly pass as one. (Graeme has this affliction, too, and is often taken for a freakishly tall Hazara.)

Except for the dust and the war, Afghanistan is not much different from my home, Nepal. Take naan-e afghani, for example. As Afghanistan's national bread, it is a staple in every household, often eaten with vegetables or meat, much like the flour roti of Nepal or India.

Read the complete post (and watch an Afghan police sing a Hindi song) in theAtlantic.com.

PHOTOS: One Day in Lashkar Gah

Lashkar Gah, Afghanistan - Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand province, is a city that was once brought down to ruins by Genghis Khan. Almost 800 years later, the city still looks barren and demolished. Well, not entirely. Lashkar's marketplace is a vibrant center where you can get everything from yummy-looking loaves of Nan-e-Afghani, Afghanistan's national bread, to a motorcycle's spare parts. We rolled along the city in Snatch Land Rovers with the British Gurkhas, who are part of the Police Mentoring Team (PMT), helping train the Afghan National Police (ANP). More on PMT, ANP and the Gurkhas in posts to follow.

Note: All photos are copyrighted to Anup Kaphle. Please contact me [anupkaphle(at)gmail(dot)com] if you need higher resolution photos for publication.


A Soviet era tank sits outside one of the ANP posts in Lashkar Gah.


An Afghan woman walks along the streets in Kashkar Gah.


A group of women sit on a heap of luggage on a tractor.


Boys take a ride on a donkey, the most popular form of transport for goods.


Local boys scavenge on a nearby streetside in Lashkar bazaar.


An Afghan lady enjoys the shade by the wall along the roadside.


Well, you know what these are.


A member of the Afghan National Police sits with an old radio, his best friend.


Children along the streets of Lashkar show thumbs-up to the convoy.


PMT team drive in the city during regular patrol.


A young boy signals as he sits to sell Nan-e-Afghani, the delicious bread.


A British service woman makes an attempt to pull-up in the gym.

Note: All photos are copyrighted to Anup Kaphle. Please contact me [anupkaphle(at)gmail(dot)com] if you need higher resolution photos for publication.

PHOTOS: Soldiers, Locals and a Small Town

Deh-E-Bagh, Afghanistan - I traveled to the town of Dey-E-Bagh in Dand district yesterday with the Canadian soldiers. Here are some of the photos from the trip.

Note: All photos are copyrighted to Anup Kaphle. Please contact me [anupkaphle(at)gmail(dot)com] if you need higher resolution photos for publication.


A man sits outside a local ration store in Deh-E-Bagh.


A soldier stands guard off the roof of a Light Armored Vehicle (LAV).


Residents of Deh-E-Bagh wait to see the governor of Kandahar.


A Canadian officer shakes hand with a local Afghani kid.


An automatic weapon sits at one of the command posts in Dey-E-Bagh.


Deh-E-Bagh, a town right outside city of Kandahar, boasts an amazing view.


A Canadian soldier patrols the premises of the outpost at Deh-E-Bagh.


A local Afghani rides past the checkpost inside the command post.


Tooryalai Wesa, the governor of Kandahar listens to the local leaders during a shura.


Tribal leader from Dand district attend a shura at Deh-E-Bagh.


Member of the Afghan National Police sits on patrol at the post.


A young Afghani police sits at guard inside the Deh-E-Bagh post.


An ANP member sits on patrol inside the post.


Members of the ANP arrive inside the command post after patroling the town.


Bullet scars remain on one of the buldings after a fight with the Taliban.


A soldier stands guard off the roof of a Light Armored Vehicle (LAV).


Soldiers prepare to leave on an operation outside the base.


A Canadian officer looks on as he prepares to leave on an operation.


An Afghan journalist shoots the video of the shura between Canadian officials and local leaders.

Note: All photos are copyrighted to Anup Kaphle. Please contact me [anupkaphle(at)gmail(dot)com] if you need higher resolution photos for publication.

VIDEO: An Afghan's Love for Afghanistan

During my trip to Deh-E-Bagh today, I spoke to a member of the Afghan National Police. I used my horrendous language skills to communicate with him, to which he responded with enough passion. Here is a short bite: [Translation after the video]

Translation: Don't pick a fight with Afghanistan. Build it. If you want to build it, do it. Otherwise, I will begin my work. This is real talk. I am not going to sell my country. I will sacrifice everything for my country.

I asked Samad what he meant by "begin my work." He said he would be willing to take the lead and die for Afghanistan if the country does not back in shape.