From inside the novel...
"They must bring everything in from Kabul-fuel, water, rations. They're bleeding their treasuries pretending to be kings."
Joshua was distracted by a noise from the sky. An airplane approached. An Antonov cargo jet buzzed over their heads. Almost too close. But it was the color that burned into his mind.
The plane was painted orange. Neon pink and bright orange.
"What the hell?" muttered Joshua.
"We're going to have front row seats."
The plane circled around the valley and began its approach. It was a gigantic airplane. One of the Antonov models was the largest plane ever built to carry cargo and passengers. Joshua was terrible at identifying aircraft. The pilot flew the plane as if he was some sort of daredevil, swooping down after he had finished a full 360 around the base. Like he was landing in the Alaska bush. Except the plane had six jet engines.
Some kind of horn sounded from the hills below. Al-Zawairi passed him a pair of binoculars. "You might want these."
Joshua took them. Followed the plane as it landed and taxied in.
Then the air craft exploded.