Murdered Afghan journalist Sardar Ahmad's last story: Kabul's rescued lion

[randolph85]

Ahmad visited Kabul zoo two days before being shot with his family in hotel attack that left nine dead. This is his report



Kabul zoo on Tuesday unveiled its new star attraction – Marjan the lion, who lived on a rooftop in the city until being rescued by animal welfare officials last year when close to death.

A businessman in the Afghan capital had bought the male lion cub as a status symbol for $20,000, and kept his pet on a roof terrace.

But the fast-growing cat was seriously ill when Kabul municipal officials tracked him down last October.

"We found him in a very dire condition. He was almost dead. He couldn't move. He couldn't even raise his head," vet Abdul Qadir Bahawi told AFP.

"We were not sure that he would survive. But our efforts paid off, and he is much better. Now he loves to play with us. I think he loves us a lot."

Marjan is named after a famous half-blind lion who lived at Kabul zoo and became a symbol of Afghanistan's national survival after living through coups, invasions, civil war and the hardline Taliban era, before dying in 2002.

The first Marjan, born in 1976, was blinded by a grenade thrown by a soldier whose brother had been killed after entering his cage.

The new Marjan made headlines around the world when AFP found him last year, living on the roof of a compound in the upmarket Taimani district of the capital.

His owner denied it was cruel and said he was looking after the lion well and feeding him fresh meat daily. But the lion's health declined fast in his unsuitable living quarters.

Government inspectors took him from the owner and started an intense five-month rehabilitation programme at the zoo to bring him back to health, including regular massage and physiotherapy sessions.

"Marjan eats about eight kilos of meat every day at 4pm," said Qurban Ali, the lion keeper at the spartan zoo.

"He has been doing very well. He eats a whole cow leg, including the bone."

Marjan, who is aged about one, will soon be on show to the public for the first time after moving to a larger enclosure that he will share with a female lion donated by China.

Bahawi plans to see if there is any chance of the two lions mating, but he warned that it looked unlikely.

"Marjan is ready, but the lioness is more than 15 years old and has had two serious operations. I think she is too old," he said

[randolph85]

the talib commander who was in charge of this operation should be beheaded.

[RevolutionThroughReason]

Why was he killed again?

[RevolutionThroughReason]

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/21/taliban-gunmen-kill-nine-kabul-serena-hotel

Their most prominent victim was Afghan journalist Sardar Ahmad, who worked for Agence France Press and had his own media company. Ahmad's wife and two daughters were also killed, and his toddler son is now fighting for his life in hospital.

[hamid954]

The Afghan intelligence – national directorate of security (NDS) said Sunday that the Taliban group and Haqqani terrorist network were not involved behind the deadly attack on Serena hotel in Kabul.

Based on Afghan intelligence information which was presented to National Security Council (NSC) meeting chaired by president Hamid Karzai reveals that foreign spy agencies were directly involved in the attack.





Not Taliban or Haqqani but direct involvement by ISI!!!

[کیش]

The CIA could have been involved. They have everything to gain to make the Afghan government look weak and bad in the eyes of the world.

Karzai wants the US to withdraw their soldiers, but the US wants to have a permanent base in the country. moves likes this helps NATO make a point that they should have a permanent base inside the country.


Why would any Afghan insurgent group randomly attack civilians for? in the art of war it makes no sense to commit such actions.

Karzai has also blamed the CIA in the past for committing these kinds of actions.

This attack also has nothing to do against disrupting the elections.

[Smarty]

Paki diplomat was recording video of the hotel in which he was staying day before attack. Paki embassies have many undercover ISI agents especially in india and afghanistan.
And lets not forget, Haqqani network has to carry out some missions for ISI in exchange for sanctuaries in pakistan.

[کیش]

Paki diplomat was recording video of the hotel in which he was staying day before attack. Paki embassies have many undercover ISI agents especially in india and afghanistan.
And lets not forget, Haqqani network has to carry out some missions for ISI in exchange for sanctuaries in pakistan.

why would the ISI carry out this attack? what logical sense does it make. government targets makes sense, this one doesn't.

everybody gives the ISI too much credit. Everyone denigrates "Paki" government, but somehow their spy agency is better than the CIA, MOSSAD, and MI6 put together x 1000

[Da Bannu Mazdigar]

Sad indeed,

Well ISI is given way too much credit.They don't even have this much resources to take on so much Missions.

[randolph85]

talibs claimed something like 2 dozen military men were killed, obviously a lie.

talibs take credit.

talibs do not deny the attack.

talibs did it, unless they are taking credit for a cia operation.

US doesn't have to pressure karzai for the bsa since all presidential candidates say they will sign it.

isi is a scapegoat for the afghan government when trying to deligitimize the resistance but attacks like on the indian embassy in kabul are plain as day isi operations.