(19 Dec 2001)
VOICED BY: Louise Bates
0000 Wide four members of American Special Forces and General Abdul Rashid Dostum of the Northern Alliance
0005 Wide shot Northern Alliance soldiers
0008 Various of of "Captain Mark", American Special Forces Team Leader, addressing soldiers
0025 Close up Northern Alliance soldiers
0030 SOUNDBITE: (English) "Captain Mark", American Special Forces Team Leader
0054 Dostum addressing group
0057 Four American Special force members
0102 Close up Dostum
0106 Pan from cameraman to Dostum presenting gift
0115 VISION ENDS
STORYLINE
General Abdul Rashid Dostum, the leader of Afghanistan's Uzbek minority and a key military commander of the northern alliance bid farewell on Wednesday to a core of American special forces - who had fought alongside his soldiers in their struggle to reconquer land from the Taliban.
VOICE OVER:
0002
The farewell ceremony for the American special forces took place at General Dostum's private residence in the countryside near Mazar-e-sharif.
0011
Four American Special Force soldiers represented the team of twelve who will be returning to the U.S. shortly, to be replaced by a new team.
0019
The American special forces team leader, who Dostum addressed as "Captain Mark", praised the general and his soldiers as heroes.
He said they were honoured to have fought alongside them.
0030 SOUNDBITE: (English) "Captain Mark", American Special Forces Leader
"I want to leave you with one thing. That the bond that united all of you together with the other parties to form the Northern Alliance and fight against the Taliban, that bond must continue."
0054
General Dostum told the men that he and his soldiers would never forget them.
0059
He said they were life-long friends and he would help them if they needed him inside or outside of Afghanistan.
0106
To express his gratitude Dostum then presented the four Americans with blankets and other gifts.
Find out more about AP Archive: www.aparchive.c...
Twitter: / ap_archive
Facebook: / aparchives ​​
Instagram: / apnews
You can license this story through AP Archive: www.aparchive.c...