Bomber misses Afghan warlord

[TacticalPeek]

Bomber misses Afghan warlord

Declan Walsh in Islamabad
Friday January 21, 2005
The Guardian

One of Afghanistan's most notorious warlords, General Abdul Rashid Dostam, was almost killed yesterday when a suicide bomber came within metres of him at a religious celebration.

He had finished prayers in Sheberghan, his stronghold in northern Afghanistan where he still holds Taliban prisoners, when a man detonated explosives strapped to his body after failing to push through his target's bodyguards.

Gen Dostam escaped unhurt but his brother, the Afghan ambassador to Kazakhstan Qadir Dostam, was among the 25 bystanders caught in the blast, suffering minor face injuries. Three people were critically injured.

A Taliban spokesman claimed responsibility for the assassination attempt, citing war crime accusations stretching back to the Taliban's fall in 2001.

"Thousands of Taliban had surrendered, but Dostam and his men killed them," said Mullah Abdul Hakim Latifi, speaking to AP by satellite telephone. "We will attack any Afghans who are allies of the Americans or the present government."

more
http://www.guardian.co.uk/afghanistan/story/0,1284,1395189,00.html

[TheWraith]

1. Reminder -- this is 'Squishy' Dostam...

...Who got his nickname from his fondness for crushing his enemies to death under tanks. Never thought I'd actually be rooting for the Taliban... hmm... Nope, still not, but if they want to go against this guy I'm happy to break out the popcorn.

The enemy of my enemy can kiss my ass too.