As rumor has it, Hekmatyar injured, son killed

Poli-e-Khomri (Pajhwok): Hezb-i-Islami Afghanistan leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar has reportedly been injured and his son killed in an attack, social media users said on Saturday, but the ministry of interior and  the presidential candidate’s office rejected the news as rumors.

Hekmatyar, who heads the Peace and Islamic Justice Electoral Ticket, has been visiting northeastern Badakhshan, northern Takhar and Baghlan provinces as part of his campaign for this month’s presidential election.

Wrong information:

Some social rumors regarding Hekmatyar being injured in an attack. 

Aziz Tamkin, a social media activist, on his Facebook page wrote: “Gulbuddin Hekmatyar came under a suicide attack today afternoon in Baghlan province, in which he was injured and his son was killed.”

Khatir Pardesh, another social media activist, on his Facebook page wrote: “Breaking: Gulbuddin Hekmatyar has been injured and some of his bodyguards killed.”

Nasar Ahmad, another social media activist, said: “Breaking News: Hekmatyar has been injured and his son killed.

A well-placed security source said Hekmatyar was injured and his son killed during a security forces raid for the arrest of Hekmatyar’s Commander Mirwais in Baghlan on Friday evening. Security forces conducted operation to arrest commander Mirwais on a gathering, in which Hekmatyar was also present. Commander Mirwais resisted the move which resulted in a firefight that killed Hekmatyar’s son and injured him.”

True information:

Nasrat Rahimi, spokesman for the ministry of interior and Hezb-i-Islami (HIA) terms the story as rumors and nothing else.

Attiqullah Safi, a senior member of the Hezb-i-Islami Afghanistan party, rejected the news and termed it as false rumors. He insisted the story was published by an Iranian website and was baseless.

He said Hekmatyar and his sons were healthy and well, adding the HIA leader was busy campaigning.

According to voice message published on social media, Habib Rahman Hekmatyar son of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar says: “People have spread rumors that the convoy of HIA leader (Gulbuddin Hekmatyar) has been attacked, this is absolutely untrue because the convoy had not moved, they have reached Baghlan last night and currently meeting people and there will be a gathering as well.”

It is worth mentioning that the presidential election campaign was launched on July 28 and will continue until September 25 ahead the Presidential polls scheduled for September 28.

Outcome of truth assessment:

Pajhwok Afghan News assessed the facts through a new mechanism and showed the people “this story was in the category of true, some true, half true, little untrue, half untrue and untrue. This is an untrue story and is regarded as social media propaganda.

Zarghona Salihi

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