Abdul Rahim Wardak was defense minister in 2004-2012 and a presidential candidate in 2014. He denied any connection to the violence.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
December 4, 2018
An Afghan police officer and a security guard have been killed in Kabul during a 24-hour standoff between police and the stepson of Afghanistan’s former defense minister, Abdul Rahim Wardak.
Six police officers and a journalist were also wounded in the gunbattle that began on December 3.
Afghanistan’s Interior Ministry said on December 4 that Wardak’s son, Tamim Shansab, brought parts of Kabul to a standstill during his clash with the authorities.
Interior Ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said the standoff ended after Tamim Shansab, earlier identified as Tamim Wardak, surrendered to police on December 4 along with 13 of his private security guards.
Five of Shansab’s security guards had surrendered late on December 3.
Fighting began when Kabul police arrived at Shansab’s house in downtown Kabul to carry out a forcible eviction order from a Kabul court and were met by armed resistance.
Rahimi said an individual had filed a lawsuit against Shansab, claiming that the residence was his and that Shansab was living there illegally.
The individual won all three trials in the case and Shansab was told to leave the residence in early November, but had so far refused.
The office of Wardak, defense minister from 2004 to 2012, denied any link between his family and the violence.
Based on reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, and dpa