محاربون قدماء في حرب جزر "الفولكلاند" من الجانبين يلتقون أخيرا وجها لوجه

Argentine fighter bombers during the Falklands War

Yvonne and Reda talk about two veterans who have come face to face after fighting on opposing sides in the Falklands War thirty years ago.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the conflict during which more than nine hundred people were killed.

In 1982 Neil Wilkinson was a 22-year-old anti-aircraft gunner in the British Army when he shot down an Argentine fighter jet.

The incident had haunted him for years, but Neil recently discovered that the pilot had in fact managed to eject himself from the aircraft and survived.

Three decades on from the war, Neil travelled toArgentinato meet the man he thought he'd gunned down and killed.

When the two men finally saw each other face to face, former pilot Mariano Valasco welcomed his former enemy into his home.

Speaking through an interpreter, Mariano said: "These are important things in life when you go through such bad times, to be able to meet each other, to forgive each other. But there is nothing to forgive. One of us had to fulfil our duties."

Neil spoke of his feelings about the meeting: "Part of it is closure. This part of it, meeting him in the flesh, I now know that he is alive and that we are friends."

Do you think most former enemies can forgive each other? Could this story help us resolve disagreements with family, friends and colleagues?

Write to us in English!

veterans محاربون سابقون

anti-aircraft gunner جندي على مدفع مضاد للطائرات

fighter jet طائرة مقاتلة

haunted ذهنه منشغل

survived نجى

face to face وجها لوجه

to forgive يغفر/ يسامح

closure ختام / نهاية

in the flesh ذات الشخص (بشحمه ولحمه!)