Afghan Soldier, Lawyer and Hero

By LCDR Robert P. Monahan Jr. & COL Rick Rousseau

Prior to the Afghan National Election in August 2009, it was well publicized that the Taliban threatened to cut off the fingers of anyone that exercised their right to vote. After casting their ballots, the fingers of Afghan voters are stained with ink. The Taliban did make good on their threats to cut off the ink stained finger of some individuals that voted in the election. The day after the election, August 21, 2009, First Lieutenant (1LT) Lutfallah Abrihimi, a legal officer in the Afghan National Army received a call regarding an urgent family crisis requiring him to return home to Kabul from his duty station in Kandahar. He tried to arrange for air travel from Kandahar to Kabul, but there was no flight available on such short notice. Knowing that he needed to return home, 1LT Lutfallah received proper authorization from his chain of command to leave his unit. He went into Kandahar and took a bus bound for Kabul. However, he never made it to Kabul, or to his family. While the bus was traveling from Kandahar to Kabul, it was stopped in Ghazni Province by Taliban insurgents. The insurgents were stopping vehicles to check for people with ink stained fingers indicating they had voted in the election. Realizing that the insurgents would not only identify him as a member of the Afghan National Army, but knowing they were also looking to inflict terror and atrocities on his fellow Afghan citizens that had exercised their right to vote in the election, 1LT Lutfallah took action into his own hands. Armed with his service pistol, he engaged the insurgents and killed three before they could terrorize or harm his fellow countrymen. After 1LT Lutfallah expended all his ammunition on the insurgents, he bravely stood his ground and refused to be intimidated in the face of death. The remaining insurgents murdered 1LT Lutfallah as he bravely stood in defiance. Due to his actions, no other passengers on the bus were killed or had their fingers cut off by the insurgents.

1LT Lutfallah was a Soldier and a legal officer that answered the call of his country. He exemplified the best of the profession of arms and the law. A native of Nooristan Province, he graduated from Kabul University Islamic Law (Shari’a) School. While a law student, he expressed progressive thoughts regarding women’s access to education. In the July 2005 edition of the United Nations Development Fund for Women “Gender Advocacy in Afghanistan” newsletter he is quoted as saying, “When the law and Islam don’t prevent women from getting an education, then families should also not prevent them.”

After graduating from law school, 1LT Lutfallah joined the Afghan National Army General Staff Legal Department. Ultimately, he was assigned as the senior legal advisor to the 1/205th Brigade in Kandahar, and occupied the position of a major in the unit. As the unit’s legal advisor, 1LT Lutfallah gained the attention and respect of both the Commander and staff of his brigade. He took an active part in staff planning and constantly sought out ways to assist the brigade in achieving its mission while complying with the law of armed conflict. When he was not satisfied with some of the unit training, he made it a point to take training out to the soldiers at the forward operating bases. 1LT Lutfallah was not content to just sit in a headquarters office away from his fellow Soldiers.

In Afghanistan, less than 30% of the population is literate. 1LT Lutfallah was a wise and educated man that could have chose not to endure the rigors and dangers of military service for his country. He was trained in the law and understood the meaning of justice. Seeing evil first hand, 1LT Lutfallah took the moral high ground and the path of the good. Instead of hiding from those who sought to intimidate, he stood tall with honor displaying the valor of bravery in the face of death. 1LT Lutfallah was an outstanding example for all Soldiers in the Afghan National Army and for all military attorneys. His efforts in life helped to forge success and teamwork amongst Afghan Soldiers as well as his coalition partners. 1LT Lutfallah will be remembered as having the characteristics and traits of an officer that will define the future of Afghanistan by the excellence of his wise efforts towards justice, his good deeds, the valor of his bravery, and devotion to his country.