Palace’s Recent Courting of Dostum Raises Questions
The appearance of Marshal Abdul Rashid Dostum, the former vice president, at a special security meeting at the Presidential Palace on Saturday, caused politicians and analysts to speculate that President Ashraf Ghani is using Dostum opportunistically amid new developments in the peace process.
Dostum has not attended any such event for the last four years.
The security situation in the north of Afghanistan was discussed at the meeting, according to the Presidential Palace.
Dostum’s spokesman Ehsan Niro said the marshal will attend the upcoming conference in Moscow, along with other political leaders, to discuss Afghan peace.