Thousands mark anniversary of Massoud's death

(8 Sep 2004) SHOTLIST

1. Various shots of Afghanistan's National army on parade in Kabul stadium
2. Various shots of guests in stadium
3. Mid shot delegates, among them Afghanistan's Interim President, Hamid Karzai
4. Soldiers marching past guests
5. Poster of Ahmed Shah Massoud and military band
6. SOUNDBITE (Pashtun) Hamid Karzai, Afghanistan Interim President:
"Ahmed Shah Massoud was a great man, he had national pride, he had the best personality and character, he loved his country, he couldn't tolerate being away from his country. From the beginning of his resistance until the end of his life he did not leave his country."
7. Various shots of military carrying wreath
8. More of poster

STORYLINE

A ceremony to mark the third year anniversary of the death of legendary commander Ahmed Shah Massoud was held in Afghanistan capital Kabul on Wednesday.

The Afghan National Army led the ceremony which was attended by thousands of people in Kabul stadium.

Among the guests was the country's Interim leader Hamid Karzai, who had started campaigning on Tuesday in the lead up to Afghanistan's historic election.

Karzai faces 17 hopefuls in the race to become the impoverished country's first popularly elected president, but many of the candidates have been busy this week preparing for Massoud's anniversary.

Ahmed Shah Massoud was the hero of Afghan resistance to the Soviets in the 1980s and to the Pakistan-backed Taliban in the 1990s

He was killed in a suicide attack on September the 9th 2001.

After Wednesday's ceremony, Karzai and his challengers will turn their attention to the election campaign where they have 30 days to impress roughly 10.6 (m) million Afghans registered to vote.

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