MAIMANA - Several people were claimed wounded on Wednesday when an ongoing protest against the detention of Nizamuddin Qaisari, a close aide of Gen. Abdul Rashid Dostum, turned violent in this capital city of northern Faryab province.
Nizamuddin Qiasari, one of the first president Dostum’s top commanders in Faryab, was arrested by commando forces in Maimana and transferred to capital Kabul two days ago.
The detention of Qaisari angered the first VP and  the National Coalition for Salvation of Afghanistan (NCSA) party as they warned of staging widespread protests across the country and boycotting elections.
The protest against Qaisari’s detention entered a second day on Wednesday here, with the protestors chanting slogans against the government and demanding release of Qaisari.
Hamidullah Junbish, one of the protestors, told Pajhwok Afghan News that they resumed their protest today to demand the release of Nizamuddin Qaisari.
But some protestors threw stones at the Afghan intelligence agency office in Maimana and the intelligence agency forces retaliated with gun fire.
Junbish said the government should free Qaisari immediately or face serious problems.
Asadullah, one of the protest organizers, said Qaisari should be released today otherwise the protestors would occupy government offices and the government would be responsible for whatever happened.
Abdullah, another demonstrator, claimed many of his colleagues sustained bullet wounds in the intelligence forces’ firing.
However, the claims could not be confirmed from local officials. (Pajhwok)