an "incident" occurs which for a time disturbs the relations between afghanistan and italy. an italian engineer resident in kabul named dario piperno is condemned to death by the afghan court for killing a policeman who was trying to arrest him for some offence. on the italian government offering to pay "blood money" for him, he is promised his release, but after the blood money has been duly paid, he is executed on june 2. benito mussolini at once makes a formal protest against the execution, and hands a note to the afghan minister in rome, demanding that the afghan minister for foreign affairs should call in person on the italian minister in kabul to express his regret at the incident, while a company of afghan soldiers was to salute the italian flag. he further demands the payment of an indemnity of £7,000, in addition to the restoration of the blood money. the afghan government procrastinates so long with its reply as to exhaust the patience of the italian government, and a rupture of diplomatic relations is imminent when, on august 17, a telegram reaches rome stating that the afghan government has agreed to come to terms. it is announced the next day that the afghan foreign minister has presented the apologies of his government to the italian minister at kabul, and has handed over £6,000 as indemnity and as repayment of the blood money. good relations between the two countries are thereupon resumed.