Dostum’s guards allegedly assault villagers

SHIBERGHAN (PAN): Gunmen loyal to Uzbek leader Abdul Rashid Dostum have allegedly attacked and beaten some residents of a village on the outskirts of Shiberghan, the capital of northern Jawzjan province.

Nearly 100 people, protesting in front of the governor’s house, accused armed supporters of the Junbish-i-Milli Afghanistan leader of severely beating residents of Hassan Tabin village.

They said the beating incident came hours after two local policemen linked to Dostum’s party were killed by two gunmen on a motorbike in the village. The policemen were heading to their check post from Shiberghan when came under attack.     

The protesting villagers have brought and laid 10 injured persons in front of the governor’s office. They said one of Dostum’ guards, Sattar Khan, with gunmen in five police vehicles entered the village and started beating residents.

Abdul Bari, one of the protesters, told Pajhwok Afghan News the two persons affiliated with Dostum had been killed by armed insurgents, but his supporters harassed the residents.

“If our problem is not resolved in Jawzjan, we will proceed toward the National Assembly, and if no one listened to us there, we will approach the president,” said Bari, who warned of picking up guns in defence.

Kinja Karger, a leader of the Junbish, expressed his unawareness about the incident in Hassan Tabin area.

He told Pajhwok Afghan News they had been busy burying the two slain Junbish men, saying the outcome of a police probe into the killings was still awaited.

Syed Mohammad Patman, the governors’ spokesman, said the beating incident was related to security officials and the protestors should refer their problem to them.

Jawzjan police chief Col. Faqir Mohammad Jawzjani said they sent police personnel to the Hassan Tabin Village and they had controlled the situation.

aa/ma

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