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Afghan vice president Mohammad Qasim Fahim dies Afghan vice-president Mohammad Qasim Fahim dies
(35 minutes later)
One of Afghanistan's two vice presidents, Marshal Mohammad Qasim Fahim, has died of natural causes, a government spokesman has said. One of Afghanistan's two vice-presidents, Marshal Mohammad Qasim Fahim, has died of natural causes aged 57, a government spokesman has said.
The Afghan government has called for a three-day mourning period, during which flags will be flown at half-mast. The Afghan government has called for three days of mourning, during which flags will be flown at half-mast.
Marshal Fahim was a leader of the Tajik ethnic minority and a former warlord.Marshal Fahim was a leader of the Tajik ethnic minority and a former warlord.
He was part of the alliance that ousted the Taliban in 2001 and served first as defence minister, before becoming vice president in 2009. He was part of the alliance that ousted the Taliban in 2001 and served first as defence minister, before becoming vice-president in 2009.
Presidential candidate Hedayat Amin Arsala told the Associated Press news agency Mr Fahim's death "will affect the future political development", but he did not elaborate on how. President Hamid Karzai's office told the Associated Press news agency that Marshal Fahim died from an illness.
Assassination attempt
The president called Marshal Fahim a true patriot and said his death was "a huge loss for Afghanistan".
Before the 2009 presidential election, Marshal Fahim survived an assassination attempt when the convoy he was travelling in was fired at with rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns. The Taliban said it carried out the attack.
His death comes ahead of presidential elections on 5 April to replace Mr Karzai, who cannot run for a third term in office.
Presidential candidate Hedayat Amin Arsala told AP Marshal Fahim's death "will affect the future political development". He did not give further details.