Afghan VP Dostum survives second assassination attempt
Times News Service
MUSCAT: The Vice-President of Afghanistan General Abdul Rashid Dostum escaped an attempt on his life in the northern province of Balkh.
While Dostum was unharmed, one of his body guards was killed and two others were injured according to a spokesman from his Junbish-Milli Party.
Afghan officials said the attackers ambushed Dostum’s convoy on the way to Jawzjan province from Mazar-i-Sharif.
Taliban have claimed responsibility for the attack.
Afghanistan’s Chief Executive Dr. Abdullah Abdullah said, “Taliban” miscreants must know that with every attack they carry out on our political leaders, our resolve gets further strengthened to defeat them.
“I strongly condemn the attack on Vice-President Dostum, thank God that he is safe and I express condolences to the victims.”
The attack was the second assassination attempt on Dostum since he returned to Afghanistan last July.
In an incident that took place on his return to the country, 14 people were killed in a suicide bombing outside Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul.
Dostum, an ethnic Uzbek from the north of the country, went into exile following after being accused of physical abuse and torture.
He faced outrage from Western donors including the US after reports his guards had seized Ahmad Eshchi, a political rival, and subjected him to beatings and torture in 2016.
Dostum denied the charges but fled the country in May 2017 amid calls for him to be held accountable.
Dostum has been accused of serous human rights abuses for years.
Allegations include the killing of Taliban prisoners by leaving them in sealed cargo containers.