A former warlord branded the “Butcher of Kabul” made a triumphant return to the Afghan capital Thursday, met by uneasy residents two decades after leaving the city where he stands accused of killing thousands of people.
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, a former prime minister, has returned to mainstream political life after his dormant Hezb-i-Islami militant group signed a peace deal with President Ashraf Ghani which sparked revulsion from human rights groups and Kabul’s residents.
The peace agreement inked last September marked a symbolic victory for Ghani, who has struggled to revive talks with the more powerful Taliban, but it has also fuelled fears of more political division.
Former Afghan president Hamid Karzai, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, former warlord Abdul Rabb Rasool Sayyaf and Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah walk to attend a ceremony at the Presidential palace.—Reuters
Ghani greeted Hekmatyar with pomp at the presidential palace Thursday. “Few people believed the peace efforts, would bear fruit, but today it is clear…that if there is sincere will and effort for peace it can be achieved,” he said.
Hekmatyar arrived at the palace after his convoy of several hundred vehicles, mainly pickup trucks equipped with machine guns, wound its way through Kabul’s main thoroughfares watched by hundreds of onlookers.
Some were supporters bearing the green party flag and flowers, singing the national anthem or chanting “Welcome to Kabul, Honourable Hekmatyar” in Pashto.
Onlooker Jamshed, who goes by one name, told AFP the “rare happy news” meant the warlord’s influence could help improve security.
But for others, his return brought memories of death and destruction in the capital rushing back.