Knightsbridge International: Blankets delivered to Hoji Malla

by Edward Artis and Walt Ratterman, Knightsbridge International

Northern Afghanistan On Sunday, November 11, 2001, Knightsbridge International, with their
partners, Afghanistan Relief International and TzuChi Foundation, delivered
500 blankets to the refugee village of Hoji-Malla. This is the same refugee camp where the team has delivered 30 tons of wheat, sugar, cooking oil, and tents over the past couple of weeks.

These blankets were part of our most recent delivery of aid that we purchased and received just recently. The delivery of aid was delayed for several days in crossing the border as a result of the intensification of fighting going on nearby at the front with the Taliban.

While we were delivering these blankets, a team from National Geographic were at the front, obtaining footage
depicting the war zone for a documentary they were preparing on the humanitarian work of Knightsbridge International.

In a strange, and extremely unfortunate turn of events, two of these men, Gary Scurka and Greg Long were injured by nearby artillery fire from the Taliban. Gary incurred shrapnel wounds in his leg and buttocks, and Greg suffered a concussion from being thrown back against a tank.

Both men were treated at the local clinic and were recovering. Edward Artis, who assisted in the doctors in
treating the men's wounds, reported that medicines and supplies that the Knightsbridge team delivered to the hospital just 10 days prior were used in the treatment of the wounds.

Later that same day, in the same location, three journalists, two from France and one from Germany, were tragically killed in the intensifying battles. These individuals were not part of our team, but we knew them and will miss them.