Rashid Dostum officially inaugurated as marshal

SHIBERGHAN (Pajhwok): Former vice president Abdul Rashid Dostum was officially awarded the rank of Marshal in compliance with a presidential decree at a special ceremony here Wednesday.

On the 3^rd of this ongoing month, a decree from President Ashraf Ghani issued promoting Dostum to the Marshal Rank was leaked to the media. The decree was signed on June 10.

The promotion is part of the political agreement signed between President Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, head of the High Council for National Reconciliation, on May 17.

Marshal Dostum in his inauguration ceremony as the third marshal of Afghanistan expressed his gratitude to the organizing committee and paid homage to those who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of the country.

Dostum was conferred the rank of marshal, a highest sign of military in Afghanistan, during a special ceremony today (Wednesday).

Dr.Abdullah, the High Council for National Reconciliation chief, congratulated Marshal Dostum and said the Taliban could not win the ongoing conflict by war.

Marshal Dostum, addressing the ceremony, said: “If six months are given to him, he will remove the Taliban from Afghanistan.”

He also called on the Taliban to end the ongoing conflict through peace negotiations.

Pk/ma