KABUL: The Afghan caretaker president, Sigbatullah Mojaddidi handed over power to a Mujahideen leadership council. It ended the two-month tenure of his interim government that took over from an ousted communist regime.

I am happy to deliver the power to the leadership council, they will choose their leaders” Mojaddidi said.

The ceremonial transfer of power marked the beginning of the second phase of transition from communist to Islamic rule in Afghanistan and the end of the first chapter of political instability and accompanying lawlessness.

Mojaddedi, 70, blamed his defence minister Ahmed Shab Masood for the chaos and the violence which erupted after he assumed office,

The Mujahideen leader, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar said he would support the new interim government due to take over, but he said harsh words for the outgoing president Sibgatullah Mojaddedi.

Hekmatyar, speaking to reporters at Charasiab, 15 km south of Kabul, said the prime minister appointed by his Pashtun-controlled Hezb-Islami faction would come within a week to assume his post under the new interim government.

A leadership council led by the radical professor Rabbani was due to take over from Mojaddedi.

Hekmatyar said the new council under Rabbani must hold elections within four months of his mandate and insisted that “all armed forces should withdraw from Kabul,” referring to Uzbek militant men who have occupied parts of the city in the last two months,

Hekmatyar said Mohammad Farid, a member of Hezb but an ethnic Tajik, would be coming within a week” to Kabul to assume his post. “I am hopeful that this week the prime minister will come.”

Earlier, fighters loyal to Mojaddedi poured into Kabul to provide him security against possible violence after he stood down, sources said here.

Scores of Pashtun fighters who belonged to a small sect led by Mojaddedi family were here to escort the 70-year-old president out of the country in case he wanted to leave after transferring power, the sources said.

Mujahideen fighters belonging to some other moderate leaders also arrived in the Afghan capital to beef up Mojaddedi security and prevent any ambush, the sources said.

Highly placed officials have said that Mojaddedi, after transferring power later, would probably set out for Pakistan to join his family and take medical treatment there.

Article extracted from this publication >> June 10, 1994