Afghanistan Vice President Abdul Rashid Dostum escapes assassination attempt

In Afghanistan, Vice President and former warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum escaped unhurt in a Taliban attack in northern province of Balkh, while one of his bodyguard was killed. 

Enayatullah Babur, Dostum's former chief of staff, said during the hour-long attack on Saturday, several others also injured. 

On Twitter, a Taliban spokesman claimed responsibility for the attack



and said four of Dostum's bodyguards were killed.

It was the second attempt on life of General Dostum, an ethnic Uzbek and former warlord. He joined the Afghan unity government in 2014. 

He helped the US oust the Taliban in 2001 but has been blamed for some of the worst atrocities in the country's long-running civil war.