Footballer jet death
AN AFGHAN teenager who died after becoming trapped in the landing gear of a military plane was a former national youth team footballer who feared the Taliban would take away his dreams.
The body of 19-year-old Zaki Anwari was found in the wheel well of a C-17 Globemaster when it landed in Qatar after carrying hundreds of fleeing refugees.
The US Air Force said its pilots had decided to take off due to a “rapidly deteriorating security situation” at Kabul airport as thousands tried to clamber on board.
Zaki had lived in Kabul and aged 16 played for Afghanistan’s youth team.
In his final Facebook post, he wrote: “You’re the painter of your life. Don’t give the paint brush to anyone else.”
The Lions of Khorasan, the Afghan national football team, said: “May his soul rest in peace and his memory be remembered.”