<p>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.</p>
<p>On the 3<sup>rd</sup> 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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>Marshal Dostum in his inauguration ceremony as the third marshal of <a href="/en/afghanistan" class="glossify-link">Afghanistan</a> expressed his gratitude to the organizing committee and paid homage to those who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of the country.</p>
<p>Dostum was conferred the rank of marshal, a highest sign of military in Afghanistan, during a special ceremony today (Wednesday).</p>
<p>Dr.Abdullah, the High Council for National Reconciliation chief, congratulated Marshal Dostum and said the <a href="/en/taliban" class="glossify-link">Taliban</a> could not win the ongoing conflict by war.</p>
<p>Marshal Dostum, addressing the ceremony, said: “If six months are given to him, he will remove the Taliban from Afghanistan.”</p>
<p>He also called on the Taliban to end the ongoing conflict through peace negotiations.</p>
<p>Pk/ma</p>
