The standoff in the capital, a clear breakdown of law and order, continued late into Thursday night, and at once highlighted the fragility of Afghanistan’s factional and ethnic balance. President Ashraf Ghani called an emergency meeting of his national security council, officials said, but General Dostum would not attend. At least one of Mr. Dostum’s men was killed, a spokesman said, and several other men were wounded on each side. In a cellphone video from his home, General Dostum told supporters that he could not tolerate the demonstrators’ demands. But, unfortunately, this is talking force — and General Dostum has never accepted that, and cannot,” General Dostum said in the video.

Source: New York Times September 01, 2016 20:52 UTC