February 04, 2008	Monday	Muharram 25, 1429

KABUL, Feb 3: Afghan warlord Gen Abdul Rashid Dostum was accused of drunkenly attacking a rival in Kabul, leading scores of police to surround his house for hours in a tense showdown on Sunday, the government said.

The siege brought about 700 Uzbeks onto the streets in the northern town of Maymana, 400 kilometres from the capital, some threatening to take up arms if the standoff was not ended, police and a protest organiser said.

Dostum, leader of Afghanistan’s Uzbek minority that is based largely in the north, allegedly attacked the house of rival and former ally, Akbar Bai, soon after midnight, interior ministry spokesman Zemarai Bashary told reporters.

“Akbar Bai’s house was raided by General Dostum and his armed men while he was drunk and abnormal,” Bashary said. “Akbar Bai, his family members and his bodyguards were all beaten and were taken hostage.” Police surrounded the house to free Bai, who was taken to hospital with the other wounded, some of whom were hurt in gunfire, he said. Bashary did not say how many people were wounded.

The security forces dispersed after Dostum agreed to cooperate with an investigation, he said.

—AFP