Afghan warlord survives suicide bomb attack

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum escaped unhurt yesterday from a suicide bomb attack that injured more than 20 people gathered for prayers in his northern hometown of Sheberghan.

General Dostum is an Uzbek militia leader who ran for president last year and helped oust the Taliban in 2001.

The attack shook residents of the city, which had been spared such violence until now.

"This was the best city in Afghanistan to have good security in," said Khisraw Zafar, who was sitting several rows behind Dostum during open-air prayers. "Now people say that even Sheberghan is getting insecure."

A spokesman for the ousted Taliban government said it carried out the attack, wire services reported. The claim could not be verified. Dostum also has a bitter rival in northern Afghan warlord, Ustad Atta Mohammed.

A video of the attack showed Dostum in a turban and a traditional green- and blue-striped silk coat in the front row of thousands of worshipers at open-air prayers for the Eid al-Adha Muslim festival, or Feast of Sacrifice.

"After Eid prayers, I greeted some people, and when I wanted to put on my shoes, my bodyguards were trying to stop people coming toward me," Dostum told the local Aina television station, wire services said. "Suddenly, there was a very big explosion. Fortunately, with the grace of God, I was not injured."

"This was done by the Afghan Taliban mujahideen," Taliban spokesman Abdul Latif Hakimi told wire services by satellite telephone. "We have planned attacks against our enemies in Afghanistan. Dostum was involved in the killing of Taliban."

Zafar, who estimated that he was about eight rows behind Dostum, had turned to walk toward the exit gate when he heard a loud boom behind him.

He could not see Dostum or any of the injured worshipers through the throng, but he saw what seemed to be iron shrapnel from the explosive device on the ground.