President Hamid Karzai’s half brother, Ahmed Wali Karzai, was murdered on Tuesday. His bodyguard Sardar Mohammad is accused of carrying out the assassination at his home in Kandahar City. Abdul Razeq, the Kandahar police chief stated, “The man carried his pistol through the security checks to Wali Karzai’s room. As soon as Wali Karzai came out of the bathroom, he opened fire and shot him in the head and chest..” Karzai’s death has already begun to have negative impacts on Afghanistan.
Although the Taliban claimed responsibility for the murder, Afghan analysts believe otherwise. The Taliban has previously taken credit for terrorist acts that they didn’t orchestrate. Although the motive behind the murder is currently unknown, analysts speculate that Mohammad and Karzai may have had a personal dispute due to their close ties, which may have led to his death.
Ahmed Wali Karzai: The controversial brother of President Hamid Karzai. |
Wali Karzai served as the head of Kandahar provincial council and was the most powerful man in south Kandahar. Accused of smuggling, land theft, and narco-trafficking, Wali Karzai had been a liability for the Karzai government for some time. His powerful position and reputation led to several previous assassination attempts. Despite his questionable reputation, the Central Intelligence Agency relied on Wali for his vast connections and knowledge of the various players in southern Kandahar.
Noorolhaq Olomi, a former parliament member from Kandahar stated, “I cannot say whether this was political or personal or some other matter…but whoever did it, it shows the weakness of this government. The president needs to change things. He needs to change himself and build a government that is real. Right now, there is no government. It’s all a fraud.”
The Afghan government continues to deteriorate, and it appears that the unstable state’s future does not look promising. The government is unable to improve its security situation and it refuses to cut ties with the Taliban. America’s influence in Afghanistan today may not be the answer to creating a stable government. The United States is responsible for driving out the majority of Taliban and al-Qaeda terrorists, but Afganistan must now take responsibility for its future.
