Kamaz Trucks
Originally uploaded by gaikokujinkyofusho
Pronounced “Kah-Mahz” I think. This is a Russian truck manufacture that I think has been around since the soviet days. To me these trucks just look menacing and uber industrial.
The history of the kamaz in Afghanistan is interesting (ok my knowledge of it is short) but I believe it was introduced while the soviet union was here (makes sense) and was widely used but when the soviet union left the remaining Afghan government forbade private individuals from owning these vehicles, only government could. Either during (or more likely after) the Taliban private individuals and companies started buying Kamaz trucks and now they are pretty much ubiqutus here. I get the impression that they are kind of the VW Beatle of trucks here in that they are practical, cheap, and easy to fix. I am not sure about how often they break down (my guess would be often but I am basing that on the 15 year old soviet trucks I would see in Eastern Europe) but they have to be fairly sturdy on the outside to endure afghan roads (or the lack thereof) and Afghans seem to think pretty highly of them.
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