Afghanistan: – – Trond wanted to turn in his grave

Trond would have turned his grave if he could follow the news from Afghanistan in recent days.

Thus the widow of warlord Trond Böll, Björg Gestvang, comments on the rapid and dramatic change of power in the country where her husband was killed by a roadside bomb on June 27, 2010.

Three other Norwegian soldiers were also killed in the same vehicle while serving for ISAF in Almar, northern Iraq A country torn by war.

Andreas Eldgarn (21), Simon Tawakkul (24) and Christian Lien (31) lost their lives with Trond Paul (41). is one attack with Most Norwegian deaths are in Afghanistan.

Uppland Arbiderblad He was the first to contact Georg Gestvang about reactions to what is happening in Afghanistan. Trond was a veteran of the Afghan-Norwegian forces when the roadside bomb tragically ended.

Five years before the bombing incident, officer, Special Forces soldier, and naval captain Trond Paul on the War Cross with a sword was proposed by then-chief of defense Sverre Dessen.

In the year following the fatal explosion, Björg Gestvang and his son Haakon (then 10 years old) received a prestigious award from then-Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and then-defense chief Harald Sund on behalf of his deceased husband and father.

The first since World War II

This was the first time after World War II that a Norwegian army received a war cross with a sword. Mother and son also got to visit King Harald at the castle.

– It’s going well with Håkon. Bjørg Gjestvang tells Dagbladet that he turns 21 this year.

Trond Paul was in the international forces of Afghanistan on several tours from the early 2000s until his death. He also acquired, through the armed forces, a solid background on conditions in the country before he went there on long-term service.

Bjørg Gjestvang, who was in contact with several of the husband’s colleagues and families in command of Marine Hunter, after the fatal accident, tries not to think whether the husband had died in vain.

– He always defended the value of the efforts of the international forces in Afghanistan. When I see pictures and hear about the chaos at Kabul airport, it is clear that quite a lot of people want to stay away from the new rulers. I explain that Trond and the others have done something positive these years, says Björg Gestvang.

– Have you thought about anything, or heard feedback from people who know the circumstances about how this happened so quickly?

Very surprised by Biden

I feel frustrated and sad, I don’t understand. First, before the current situation, I was very surprised by US President Joe Biden’s ability to abruptly withdraw troops after so many years.

I remember Trond saying a long time ago that it was not only the Taliban that threatened Afghanistan. Now, gradually, it is completely unrealistic how little government agencies know about Taliban control of the areas.

– And with great impulse, I have to ask myself how the government forces can surrender so quickly. If there is anything positive about withdrawing from this particular situation, it is that so many human lives have been saved through such a surrender, says Björg Gestvang, 11 years after her husband was victimized in Afghanistan.