Blame Game in the North

Rival powerbrokers in northern Afghanistan have sought to defend themselves against claims that their forces were responsible for the first reported violence of the legislative election campaign.

Witnesses say armed forces affiliated with General Abdul Rashid Dostum clashed in Faryab province with supporters of Abdul Malik on May 17, leaving two dead and 12 wounded.

In interviews with IWPR, a Dostum representative has denied that followers of the general were involved in the clash, while Malik insisted that his men were merely defending themselves.

Locals said fighting broke out when Gul Mohammad Pahlawan, Malik's brother, went to the family home in Sherin Tagab district to campaign for Malik in the country’s first democratic legislative election, scheduled for September 18.

The gun battle lasted four to five hours, after which the opposing sides settled into a standoff that lasted three days, local people said. The factions dispersed when police arrived.

The dead were not identified by political affiliation. Witnesses said six men from each side were among the wounded. No arrests were made, but a force from Kabul took Pahlawan and some of his supporters to the capital for questioning.

Unlike Malik, Dostum is not a candidate in the September poll, but several of his supporters are seeking seats.

Malik is leader of the Hezb-e-Azadi, Liberty Party. Dostum was made armed forces chief of staff by President Hamed Karzai earlier this year in one of the president's more controversial appointments. Dostum resigned his private militia command upon taking the post.

"People fled the area where the incident took place," said a witness, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "Shopkeepers took their merchandise home, because in the past when pro-Dostum and Malik forces fought, they would loot the area afterward."

Another local man, who spoke on condition his name not be used, said Pahlawan distributed arms from a hidden cache to his supporters as soon as he entered his family stronghold.

Malik said his brother was attacked by Dostum supporters from nearby areas.

"I sent my brother … to visit the elders of my tribe, and this is my right," said Malik. "But General Dostum, based on his former animosity toward me, sent 2,000 of his armed men to take on my brother. They had to defend themselves."

Among those involved in the fighting were a commanders Fatiullah and Rahmat Raees, well known Dostum lieutenants, alleged Malik.

Azizullah Kargar, Dostum's deputy, denied that his boss had any armed forces in the area. Those who moved against Pahlawan were people out to settle old grievances against Malik and had no affiliation with Dostum, he told IWPR.

Malik claimed his people were attacked because of the strength of his political support in Faryab province.

"I am a leader of a political party and have the right to campaign anywhere in Afghanistan," he said.

"I have many supporters in the area. Dostum is afraid of my influence because if people favour my candidacy in that province, no one will vote for Dostum's supporters.”

"The warlords proved once again that the best way for their political competition is still armed force," said Qayyum Babak, a political observer from Faryab province.

"I wish people wouldn't support either faction," said Niaz Gul of Mazar-e-Sharif, reflecting a widely held view. "If they make it into parliament, they'll create a situation similar to the one before, when they were battling for supremacy here."

Both Dostum and Malik are blamed for personally motivated killings during the civil wars.

Rasool Pahlawan had been one of Dostum's best-known lieutenants. After Rasool was killed, Malik sided with the Taleban and helped drive Dostum out of the country. Malik briefly controlled the region until 1998, when it was conquered by the Taleban, prompting him to go into exile.

Sayed Yaqub Ibrahimi is an IWPR staff reporter in Mazar-e-Sharif.