Jul 20, 2009 – Kabul – Two mountaineers became the first Afghans to conquer their home country’s highest peak, 7,492-metre Noshaq Month, in north-eastern Afghanistan, a senior member of the climbing team said Monday.
Malang, 35, and Amruddin, 25, members of the Afghans to the Top expedition, made it to Noshaq’s peak Sunday and planted the Afghan national flag, Jérôme Veyret, one of two French mountaineers accompanying the Afghan pair, told German Press Agency dpa by phone from the peak.
Two other Afghan climbers only made it to the base camp. All four Afghan mountaineers are from Ishkashim, a town located in the northern province of Badakhshan, one hour from Noshaq valley.
The idea for the expedition was hatched when the four Afghans shared their dreams of reaching the top of the mountain with three French mountaineers who visited the area in 2007.
The French climbers drew funds from Mountain Wilderness International, the Aga Khan Foundation, the United Nations and USAID to make the expedition possible.
via Two climbers first locals on Afghanistan’s highest peak.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8159998.stm
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