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| Afghans Celebrate a National Hero, and Fighting Breaks Out | Afghans Celebrate a National Hero, and Fighting Breaks Out |
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| KABUL, Afghanistan — The annual celebration of Afghanistan’s official national hero, Ahmed Shah Massoud, descended into violence and ethnic tensions again as his armed supporters began marauding through the streets here, officials said Thursday. | |
| At least two people were killed, one of them an officer of the National Directorate of Security, the Afghan intelligence service, and at least five were wounded on Wednesday, Afghan officials said. Heavily armed young men in convoys of cars, pickup trucks and motorcycles — mostly from Mr. Massoud’s native Panjshir Valley — roared through Kabul, the capital, with posters of the Tajik war leader, and in at least two places they tried to attack neighborhoods belonging to rival ethnic groups, according to Afghan official accounts on Thursday. | At least two people were killed, one of them an officer of the National Directorate of Security, the Afghan intelligence service, and at least five were wounded on Wednesday, Afghan officials said. Heavily armed young men in convoys of cars, pickup trucks and motorcycles — mostly from Mr. Massoud’s native Panjshir Valley — roared through Kabul, the capital, with posters of the Tajik war leader, and in at least two places they tried to attack neighborhoods belonging to rival ethnic groups, according to Afghan official accounts on Thursday. |
| In one episode that generated outrage, an emergency room doctor, Mirwais Hemat, was beaten down with rifle butts and ended up with a broken neck and nose after a group of men described by doctors as Panjshiris decided he was not suturing one of their comrade’s wounds quickly enough, according to witnesses and hospital officials. | |
| Mr. Massoud was a prominent leader of the mujahedeen resistance against the Soviets and, later, the Taliban. He was the military leader of the Northern Alliance at the time of his assassination by suicide attackers from Al Qaeda just before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. | Mr. Massoud was a prominent leader of the mujahedeen resistance against the Soviets and, later, the Taliban. He was the military leader of the Northern Alliance at the time of his assassination by suicide attackers from Al Qaeda just before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. |
| Every year, the official Massoud Day memorial of his Sept. 9 killing brings large numbers of Panjshiris, originally from the mountain fastnesses of their northern province into the streets of Kabul. The event was bloody, but it was not as bad as some recent years. | Every year, the official Massoud Day memorial of his Sept. 9 killing brings large numbers of Panjshiris, originally from the mountain fastnesses of their northern province into the streets of Kabul. The event was bloody, but it was not as bad as some recent years. |
| Honoring the memory of Mr. Massoud has become an article of faith for Afghanistan’s government, even though many Afghans are hostile to the idea. Many see him, as do international human rights groups, as a flawed leader who, like many powerful ones of his generation, was accused of atrocities. | Honoring the memory of Mr. Massoud has become an article of faith for Afghanistan’s government, even though many Afghans are hostile to the idea. Many see him, as do international human rights groups, as a flawed leader who, like many powerful ones of his generation, was accused of atrocities. |
| Pashtuns, who make up the largest ethnic group, and Hazaras, members of the most persecuted one, have both been particularly critical of the veneration of Mr. Massoud and of the prominent role that Panjshiris have enjoyed in government and business since the overthrow of the Taliban government. | Pashtuns, who make up the largest ethnic group, and Hazaras, members of the most persecuted one, have both been particularly critical of the veneration of Mr. Massoud and of the prominent role that Panjshiris have enjoyed in government and business since the overthrow of the Taliban government. |
| This year, the event took on an overtly political tone, with many of the AK-47-wielding celebrators leaning out of car windows and through sunroofs, firing their weapons and shouting, “Death to Ghani,” referring to President Ashraf Ghani, a Pashtun. | This year, the event took on an overtly political tone, with many of the AK-47-wielding celebrators leaning out of car windows and through sunroofs, firing their weapons and shouting, “Death to Ghani,” referring to President Ashraf Ghani, a Pashtun. |
| Many remained angry that Mr. Ghani’s election rival, Abdullah Abdullah, a Panjshiri, had not been given a bigger role in the national unity government. | Many remained angry that Mr. Ghani’s election rival, Abdullah Abdullah, a Panjshiri, had not been given a bigger role in the national unity government. |
| Efforts by political leaders to encourage calm and order ahead of the holiday went in vain. In particular, Mr. Massoud’s brother Ahmad Wali Massoud issued a statement on Tuesday apologizing in advance: “We apologize to our respected fellow residents of the city and reiterate that such actions are in no way compatible with the characteristics, personality and the thoughts of the martyr Massoud.” | Efforts by political leaders to encourage calm and order ahead of the holiday went in vain. In particular, Mr. Massoud’s brother Ahmad Wali Massoud issued a statement on Tuesday apologizing in advance: “We apologize to our respected fellow residents of the city and reiterate that such actions are in no way compatible with the characteristics, personality and the thoughts of the martyr Massoud.” |
| Mr. Abdullah, who was a close aide to Mr. Massoud, has repeatedly called for calm and unity among his followers on Massoud Day. “Our unity, at the larger national level, is the only way of responding to the enemies of this nation,” he said. | Mr. Abdullah, who was a close aide to Mr. Massoud, has repeatedly called for calm and unity among his followers on Massoud Day. “Our unity, at the larger national level, is the only way of responding to the enemies of this nation,” he said. |
| Many Kabul residents make a point of staying off the streets as much as possible on the holiday, given the annual violence. | Many Kabul residents make a point of staying off the streets as much as possible on the holiday, given the annual violence. |
| “The actions of a few men have made many citizens hate even Massoud himself, because it is his so-called sympathizers who are intensifying barbarism under his name and undermining his achievements,” said Mujtaba, 23, in Kabul, who is a Tajik from northern Afghanistan. He asked that his full name not be used out of fear of retribution from Panjshiris. | “The actions of a few men have made many citizens hate even Massoud himself, because it is his so-called sympathizers who are intensifying barbarism under his name and undermining his achievements,” said Mujtaba, 23, in Kabul, who is a Tajik from northern Afghanistan. He asked that his full name not be used out of fear of retribution from Panjshiris. |
| Mr. Massoud’s son Ahmad visited the hospital where Dr. Hemat was assaulted and apologized to the staff there for the attack, according to accounts on social media and Afghan news organizations. | Mr. Massoud’s son Ahmad visited the hospital where Dr. Hemat was assaulted and apologized to the staff there for the attack, according to accounts on social media and Afghan news organizations. |
| A senior security official, speaking on the condition he not be identified further, said that officials of the National Directorate of Security were targeted when they tried to intervene on Wednesday to prevent the Panjshiris from driving into heavily ethnic Pashtun and Hazara neighborhoods. | A senior security official, speaking on the condition he not be identified further, said that officials of the National Directorate of Security were targeted when they tried to intervene on Wednesday to prevent the Panjshiris from driving into heavily ethnic Pashtun and Hazara neighborhoods. |
| In one incident, a senior security official went to mediate between the two sides in the Hoodkhel neighborhood, a Pashtun area. But as he was returning, his car came under fire from unknown attackers. One officer was killed, and two other people were wounded. | In one incident, a senior security official went to mediate between the two sides in the Hoodkhel neighborhood, a Pashtun area. But as he was returning, his car came under fire from unknown attackers. One officer was killed, and two other people were wounded. |
| Officials at the Health Ministry said that one civilian had also been killed and that three others had been wounded in the unrest. | Officials at the Health Ministry said that one civilian had also been killed and that three others had been wounded in the unrest. |