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Skunk · 04-09-2004, 11:58 AM

While the battle to re-establish control of Iraq is still ongoing, the battle to gain control of Afghanistan remains ongoing, and success is not clearly in sight:

Afghan Renegade Continues Advance Despite Talks
KABUL (Reuters) - An Afghan strongman whose forces have overrun a northern province issued a stark warning to the U.S.-backed president on Friday -- fire the defense and interior ministers or your government will fail.

Even as a delegation led by Deputy Defense Minister General Mohibullah met General Abdul Rashid Dostum to urge him to withdraw his fighters from Faryab province, the militia advanced further having taken the provincial capital on Thursday.

Speaking to Reuters for the first time since his forces attacked Faryab on Wednesday, Dostum complained he had not been consulted about the deployment of hundreds of national army troops to the province to restore order.

"I will help with the national army and I should be trusted," he said.

Dostum, who has continued to angle for a top position despite losing favor since helping U.S. forces topple the Taliban in 2001, called on Afghan President Hamid Karzai to sack officials including Defense Minister Mohammad Qasim Fahim and Interior Minister Ali Ahmad Jalali.

"If he does not, his government will fail," he said.

He said Fahim was only interested in extending his power, while Jalali had been out of the country working in Washington while Dostum and others were fighting to overthrow the former Taliban regime.

Dostum, an adviser to Karzai, also complained that U.S. planes hovered over his house in the town of Shiberghan on Thursday night.

"My kids were frightened, but let me say that I am not the type of man to be afraid," he said.

Karzai rushed troops to Maimana on Thursday but they arrived too late to stop the advance of Dostum's forces that forced the governor and provincial commander Mohammad Hashim Habibi to flee...

It is the second time in weeks that Karzai has sent troops from the still infant national army to deal with unrest involving provincial militias targeted for disarmament and underlines the problems he faces keeping to his vow to disarm 40,000 by June.

04-09-2004, 11:58 AM	#1
Skunk Banned User Join Date: September 3, 2001 Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands Age: 63 Posts: 1,463	While the battle to re-establish control of Iraq is still ongoing, the battle to gain control of Afghanistan remains ongoing, and success is not clearly in sight: Afghan Renegade Continues Advance Despite Talks KABUL (Reuters) - An Afghan strongman whose forces have overrun a northern province issued a stark warning to the U.S.-backed president on Friday -- fire the defense and interior ministers or your government will fail. Even as a delegation led by Deputy Defense Minister General Mohibullah met General Abdul Rashid Dostum to urge him to withdraw his fighters from Faryab province, the militia advanced further having taken the provincial capital on Thursday. Speaking to Reuters for the first time since his forces attacked Faryab on Wednesday, Dostum complained he had not been consulted about the deployment of hundreds of national army troops to the province to restore order. "I will help with the national army and I should be trusted," he said. Dostum, who has continued to angle for a top position despite losing favor since helping U.S. forces topple the Taliban in 2001, called on Afghan President Hamid Karzai to sack officials including Defense Minister Mohammad Qasim Fahim and Interior Minister Ali Ahmad Jalali. "If he does not, his government will fail," he said. He said Fahim was only interested in extending his power, while Jalali had been out of the country working in Washington while Dostum and others were fighting to overthrow the former Taliban regime. Dostum, an adviser to Karzai, also complained that U.S. planes hovered over his house in the town of Shiberghan on Thursday night. "My kids were frightened, but let me say that I am not the type of man to be afraid," he said. Karzai rushed troops to Maimana on Thursday but they arrived too late to stop the advance of Dostum's forces that forced the governor and provincial commander Mohammad Hashim Habibi to flee... It is the second time in weeks that Karzai has sent troops from the still infant national army to deal with unrest involving provincial militias targeted for disarmament and underlines the problems he faces keeping to his vow to disarm 40,000 by June.