The mission urged security sector reforms, with the help of international support.
The commander of the NATO-led International Security and Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan warned on October 8 that without visible improvements in the lives of ordinary Afghans, most Afghans could soon harbor an allegiance to the Taliban-led insurgency.
Saving Afghanistan's Heritage
A UNESCO team working to stabilize Herat minarets in 2003 (UNESCO)
THE MINARETS OF HERAT: In Afghanistan's leafy western city of Herat, a two-lane road slices between the city's five remaining 15th-century minarets. Every truck, car, bus, motorcycle, and horse-drawn carriage that passes by sends vibrations coursing through the delicate structures.
In particular, the Fifth Minaret -- all 55 meters of it -- seems ready to collapse into a dusty heap of bricks and colored tiles at any moment. A large crack near its base makes drivers speed up just a little as they pass by....(more)
Click on the image to view an audio slideshow of this story by RFE/RL correspondent Grant Podelco.RELATED ARTICLES
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