Abdul Raziq Achakzai

Abdul Raziq Achakzai
Achakzai in 2012
Native name
عبدالرازق اڅکزی
Birth nameAbdul Raziq
Born1979
Spin Boldak, Kandahar, Afghanistan
DiedOctober 18, 2018 (aged 39)
Kandahar, Afghanistan[1]
Allegiance Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Service / branchAfghan Border Police
Years of service2002–2018
RankLieutenant general
Battles / warsWar in Afghanistan
Spouse(s)3[2]

Abdul Raziq Achakzai, also known as General Raziq, (Pashto: عبدالرازق اڅکزی; Dari: عبدالرازق اچکزی; 1979 – October 18, 2018) was the chief of police for Kandahar Province.[3] Many Afghans regarded him as a national hero while others viewed him simply as a warlord.[4][5] In late 2001, Achakzai became a member of Gul Agha Sherzai's forces whom the Taliban had surrendered to after the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan.[6] Achakzai was considered to be one of the most powerful security officials in Afghanistan for the last few years of his life.

After surviving several assassination attempts over the years, Achakzai was killed in an insider attack by a bodyguard of the provincial governor, who opened fire on him and other security officials after a meeting with the U.S. Army General Scott Miller at the governor's compound in Kandahar.[7] Achakzai was succeeded by his brother, Tadeen Khan, who has no military related experience.[8] Tadeen's nomination was a result of heavy pressure from powerful tribal elders who pressured the Afghan government to overlook his lack of experience and training.[9]

  1. ^ "Kandahar Police Chief Raziq Killed In Attack | TOLOnews". TOLOnews. Retrieved 2018-10-18.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference NDTV was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Top US commander in Afghanistan unharmed after attack leaves key Afghan general dead, 2 Americans wounded". Military Times. 18 October 2018. Archived from the original on 18 October 2018. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  4. ^ Christina Lamb. 9 tons of opium doesn’t make him a bad man. 5 April 2015. The Times.
  5. ^ NATO bullish, Canadians wary of Afghan warlord Raziq. 27 December 2010. CTV News.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Business Insider was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Salahuddin, Sayed; Constable, Pamela (October 18, 2018). "U.S. commander in Afghanistan survives deadly attack at governor's compound that kills top Afghan police general". The Washington Post. Among those killed in the attack inside the governor's compound in southern Kandahar province was the region's top police general, Abdul Raziq, who was seen as the most powerful man in southern Afghanistan.
  8. ^ "'The Lion of Kandahar': Was slain commander a hero or part of the problem?". Washington Post. 29 November 2018. Archived from the original on 30 December 2018. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  9. ^ "Brother appointed to succeed killed Afghan commander". Reuters. Archived from the original on 22 October 2018. Retrieved 22 October 2018.