"Beautifully researched and deeply moving, [this book] brought me to tears more than once" -- John Simpson, The Guardian"First-class...exhaustively researched and sensitively written" -- The TimesThe extraordinary true story of the Afghans who risked their lives for usThe sudden withdrawal of British and American troops from Afghanistan in 2021, ended the 20 year war on terror, yet it also left Afghanistan to be reconquered by the TalibanAs violence and religious fundamentalism once again overwhelmed the region, thousands of Afghans who loyally served the British and American armies were left behind.This is the story of what happened to them when the West leftThe Gardener of Lashkar Gah follows the extraordinary journey of Shaista Gul, a kind former-policeman who built a beautiful garden inside a military base in Helmand Province that became famous as a calm oasis for soldiers with troubled mindsOther members of his family worked for the allies, including his son Jamal, who became an i