Ask just about any police officer in Kabul what their biggest fear is and they are apt to answer: suicide bombers. They're hard to spot and nearly impossible to stop. But in one of the busiest precincts in the capital, police have experienced recent success not only in foiling a terror attack, but in battling crime in general.
In a small room above a row of shops along the bank of the Kabul River, eight police officers on duty had just finished eating their lunch and were drinking tea when a man warned them of an impending suicide attack; a young man, wearing bulky clothing, was acting suspiciously.
The officers quickly climbed down to see a teenager in traditional Afghan clothes and a loaded vest looking nervously around near a bus stop. Elias Miralikhail, one of the officers, stepped toward him.
"He said,
Fariba Nawa is a freelance reporter in Afghanistan.
Sign up for Eurasianet's free weekly newsletter. Support Eurasianet: Help keep our journalism open to all, and influenced by none.