In Afghanistan, an anti-Taliban Militia Hero or a Rogue Criminal? By Pamela Constable and Sharif Hassan – Washington Post
Violence escalated Monday in the Afghan capital during a second day of protests by minority ethnic Hazaras over the arrest of an anti-Taliban militia leader. Officials called him an abusive rogue, but supporters said he was a hero who had defended Hazaras from insurgent attacks.
Health officials said at least 19 people were wounded. There were unconfirmed media reports that four others were killed when police confronted hundreds of demonstrators, firing into the air and barricading routes out of the Hazara-dominated west Kabul area.
Officials at the Interior Ministry said 48 police officers were injured and eight police checkpoints set on fire during the two days of demonstrations. They said no one was killed. An aide to President Ashraf Ghani tweeted that the protesters were committing “vandalism and armed disobedience.”
The militia commander, Abdul Ghani Alipur, was released later in the day, Reuters said, citing officials…