Afghan Vice President Abdul Rashid Dostum narrowly escaped a suicide bomb attack at Kabul airport as he returned home yesterday from more than a year in exile in Turkey over allegations of torturing and abusing a political rival.
According to Reuters, Dostum, who left Afghanistan last year after heavy pressure from Western donors including the United States, drove away from the airport in a motorcade only minutes before the explosion.
Pajhwok Afghan News says that at least 14 people including security personnel were killed and another 60 wounded in the Sunday suicide attack.
Dostum was unharmed in the blast, which was claimed by Islamic State (IS) terror group, and made only brief mention of it when he met cheering supporters who had been waiting for hours to give him a red carpet reception at a rally at his office compound.
Khaama Press says President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, First Vice President General Abdul Rashid Dostum, and Chief Executive of Jamiat Islami Ata Mohammad Noor strongly condemned yesterday’s deadly suicide attack in Kabul city.
Calling the attack an act of the enemies of Afghanistan, Gen. Dostum said the enemies think that they can create barriers on the way of the people of Afghanistan in their efforts for development.
However, he said the Afghan nation and the government of Afghanistan will continue to their efforts for a bright a future.
The Chief Executive of Jamiat Islami Ata Mohammad Noor also reacted at the attack and said he strongly condemns the bombing that left a number of innocent civilians dead or wounded.
The Office of the President, ARG Palace, said the enemies of Afghanistan once again committed a crime that resulted into the martyrdom of a number of civilians and security personnel while leaving a number of others wounded.
Dostum is a controversial figure who has been accused of serious human rights violations, including the deaths of hundreds of Taliban prisoners in 2001 in the custody of his militia forces.
