Warlord Known as ‘Butcher of Kabul’ Launches Afghan Presidential Campaign Vowing Peace

Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, a former Afghan warlord nicknamed the “Butcher of Kabul” over historic war crimes allegedly committed during Afghanistan’s bloody civil war in the 1990s, officially entered the country’s presidential race over the weekend as one of at least 14 candidates expected to vie for the post during the July 20 elections. In September 2016, Hekmatyar, the leader of the Hezb-e-Islami Gulbuddin (HIG) group also known as just Hezb-e-Islami (the Islamic party), signed a peace agreement with the Ghani administration after fighting against Kabul and the U.S.-led coalition for about 15 years. He has since repeatedly urged his so-called Taliban “brothers” to follow suit. -- More...