Afghan warlord’s arrest sparks violent protests

MAIMANAH , Afghanistan: The arrest of a powerful warlord in northern Afghanistan sparked violent protests on Wednesday that officials said left at least one person dead and several wounded. Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Maimanah, the capital of Faryab province, for a second day to demand the release of Nezamuddin Qaisari, a commander of a pro-government militia and a district police chief. Qaisari was arrested Monday after he allegedly threatened to kill people at a provincial security meeting. Qaisari “insulted all the participants of the meeting, calling them traitors and also threatening to kill them all,” according to a statement issued by Shaheen 209 Corps, which hosted the meeting. Shaheen 209 Corps covers northern Afghanistan. Qaisari is also the provincial representative of fellow ethnic Uzbek warlord, Afghan Vice President Abdul Rashid Dostum, who fled to Turkey last year after he was accused of being involved in the rape and torture of a political rival.