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Dostum wants me to cut ties with govt: governor

Dostum wants me to cut ties with govt: governor

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17 Jun 2013 - 14:09
Dostum wants me to cut ties with govt: governor
author avatar
17 Jun 2013 - 14:09

SHIBERGHAN (PAN.

Mohammad Alam Saiee said Dostum men attacked his house in Shiberghan, the provincial capital, a former stronghold of the Jumbish leader, around 12pm.

Saiee said his guards had been resisting the gunmen trying to enter his house. He accused the former military general of forcing him to support his party and cut off ties with the Karzai government.

But the Jumbish said Dostum had visited the governor’s residence in order to meet him. The governor thought Dostum had the intention to attack him, the party said.

Earlier, the governor said he had no idea why his house was attacked. But he later told reporters Dostum had threatened him last night to join his group. He quoted Dostum as saying he would kill him and some other tribal elders.

Holding an AK-47 in his hand, the governor said he could not sleep last night after the threat. It was around noon when Dostum along with his gunmen arrived and started hitting the door of his house with kicks.

Laced with rocket launchers and light weapons, Saiee said the gunmen entered the middle of his home and started firing.

The governor said he emptied one magazine trading gunfire with the attackers to defend his house. His guards also fired, he said.

After 15 minutes of cross-firing, Dostum was encircled by his men and took him away.

However, the Jumbish’s provincial committee head in Jawzjan, Kinja Karkar said it had been a misunderstanding that led to the ugly situation.

He said the governor was not right in his charges, arguing Dostum wanted to meet Saiee but his guards opened fire at him, thinking they were attacked.

In return, he said bodyguards of Dostum resorted to fire into the air and then left the area.

“I saw Dostum along with his bodyguards when they were coming out of the governor’s residence. They walked past our office,” a water and energy department official said on condition of anonymity.

He also saw a rocket exploding in the air, but could not confirm from which direction it had been fired.

After the incident, security along the governor’s residence was increased. Security officials would check every vehicle entering the city, he added.

Other residents said helicopters were seen hovering over the city, with Afghan troops and police patrolling the streets.

Shops were closed in the Faisal Market near the governor’s residence, but those situated west of the city remained open.

The governor said it was not for the first time that Dostum had threatened him. He said Dostum had hurled similar threats at him three years back when he took office as the governor of Jawzjan.

ma

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