DUSHANBE, March 10, 2014, Asia-Plus – On Sunday March 9, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon sent a message of condolences to Afghan President Hamid Karzai over the death of Afghan Vice-President, Marshal Mohammad Qasim Fahim.
Rahmon said he was saddened by the death of Mohammad Qasim Fahim Chavez, “who was one of persons of historic dimensions in contemporary history of Afghanistem,” and offered his condolences to the family of Afghan first vice-president, the government and the people of Afghanistan.
One of Afghanistan”s two vice-presidents, Marshal Mohammad Qasim Fahim, died of natural causes on Sunday, aged 57.
The Afghan government has called for three days of mourning, during which flags will be flown at half-mast.
Fahim had been a top commander in the Northern Alliance, a group of anti-Taliban militia leaders, after the 1992-96 civil war.
“It is with deep sadness that we learn of the passing away of Marshal Mohammad Qasim Fahim, the First Vice-president of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. May his soul rest in peace,” President Hamid Karzai”s office said, declaring three days of national mourning.
According to Reuters, the United Nations mission in Afghanistan mission in Afghanistan called Fahim “a good and trusted partner of the U.N.”
He fought alongside U.S. troops to defeat the Taliban and was a staunch backer of Karzai, whom he promoted as Afghanistan”s interim leader and later served as both defense minister and vice president.
