Anti-Talibans anoint Dostum vice-president

DUBAI, October 23: In a significant move to iron out divisions, the leaders of the United Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan (U...

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DUBAI, October 23: In a significant move to iron out divisions, the leaders of the United Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan (UIFSA), opposed to the Taliban Government in Kabul, nominated Neral Abdul Rashid Dostum as Vice-President and military leader of northern Afghanistan.

At a meeting chaired by Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani and all the top officials of the UIFSA on Tuesday in the town of Pol-e Khomri in Baghlan province, the leaders decided to close their ranks and end internal differences, the Iranian news agency IRNA said in a report from Mazar-i Sharif.

The meeting also put an end to the differences between General Dostum and another key leader General Abdul Malik.

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Relations between the two leaders became strained following a coup d’etat against Dostum last June.

This is the first time that all leaders of the allied forces in Afghanistan including Burhannudin Rabbani, Ahmad Shah Masood, Karim Khalili, Abdol Rashid Dostum, Abdul Malik, Mohammad Mohaghegh, Hussein Anwari, Zahedi, Abdul Ghaffar Pahlawan and Rashid Mansour Naderi are attending such a meeting.

While assessing the political and military developments, the leaders also approved operational strategies emphasising greater coordination among all the groups. Iran is opposed to the Pakistan-backed Taliban Government and recognises the ousted Government of Rabbani.

Pakistan denies it supports Taliban but has recognised the Government.The UISFA leaders also emphasised mopping up Kunduz province from Taliban forces and their local supporters and urged all peace loving countries to step up efforts to solve the crisis in Afghanistan.

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Kunduz has been under siege by UNIFSA forces for the last several days.Last week, the UNIFSA held a meeting in Pol-e Khomri to draw up a final plan to clear Kunduz province from Taliban forces and reviewed the demilitarisation of Mazar-I Sharif.

The UIFSA was formed in May this year following Taliban’s failed attack on Mazar-i Sharif. The coalition comprises Jamiate-e Islami Party, the two factions of the Wahdat-I Islami, Islamic Movement Party and the National Islamic Movement of Afghanistan, thus dissolving the supreme defence council.

Meanwhile, fighters of the UIFSA Wednesday afternoon bombed positions and strongholds of the Taliban group along the lines of conflict in Badgheis province, the IRNA news agency said.