KABUL -- Another phase of the disarmament process in Afghanistan began yesterday as dozens of famed mujahedeen fighters turned over their weapons to the International Security Assistance Force near Kabul. Looking haggard and in various states of dress, about 180 hard-core resistance fighters brought AK-47s, rocket launchers and numerous other weapons to the 7th Division Afghani militia headquarters, once a training camp for al-Qaida terrorists.
It was a symbolically important handover as the once-proud "freedom fighters" lined up, listened to a few short speeches from their former commanders and laid down their arms at the base known as Reeshkhor. The base was formerly a Taliban stronghold controlled by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, considered the most dogmatic Islamic fundamentalist leader in Afghanistan.
"These are basically citizen soldiers; these were the backbone of the resistance," Canadian Forces Maj. Bob Knight said after watching the ceremony.
"They're fighters, they're not regular army, and they're very proud of who they are."
The mujahedeen, or Islamic warriors, made up much of Afghanistan's guerrilla opposition.
They were a powerful force, active in much of the country from 1979, fighting both Soviet forces and the Soviet-backed Afghan government.
After 1989, when Soviet troops withdrew from Afghanistan, the mujahedeen fought a civil war against the Afghan government, which devastated the country, Kabul in particular.
Although later defeated by the Taliban in the Afghani capital and in the country's desert-covered southern regions, the guerrillas continued to reign over most of Afghanistan's steep-sloped mountains to the north.
But after more than two decades of battles, the soldiers said yesterday they are tired of fighting.
"They will give me work as a labourer," said Mohammed Asif, who began training with the 7th division when he was 12 years old. "We're happy that the Taliban and al-Qaida is no longer here," said Asif, 28. "We want work, jobs."
Knight said the former fighters recognize "the war is over. It's time to get on with rebuilding Afghanistan."
So far, nearly 800 members of Afghani militias have handed in their weapons in exchange for a small amount of money, clothing and promises of education, farm equipment or jobs. Fulfilling those promises is critical to ensuring Afghanistan doesn't disintegrate into all-out war.
"This is the whole key to the program, not the money, (nor) the suit of clothes that they will receive," said Knight.
"The real success of the program will be the reintegration, the job offers that are available to them, job retraining, all of these things that the lead nation and the United Nations development program are working toward getting going."
The aim of the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration program, is to disarm 2,000 soldiers by the end of January.
