Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah and a number of politicians attended a blood donation campaign on Saturday to commemorate the 17th anniversary of Ahmad Shah Massoud’s assassination.
The blood drive was for government forces.
Ahmad Massoud, the son of Ahmad Shah Massoud, the National Hero of Afghanistan, thanked the youth for organizing the campaign and said people should not do anything which will disturb the people during the commemoration of national days.
The 17th death anniversary of Ahmad Shah Massoud is marked every year on September 9.
“Today, the people of Afghanistan, especially the Afghan forces who are followers of the path of the National Hero in defending the country, deserve blood and full support,” said Mohammad Yunus Qanuni, former vice president under ex-president Hamid Karzai’s government.
“After this, we will mark this week (Martyrs Week) by a blood drive for everyone,” said Bismillah Mohammadi, former minister of interior.
Ahmad Massoud said none of his father’s ambitions, which were lasting security and a stable Afghanistan, have been fulfilled. He said Massoud’s aides have not been able to reach those goals.
“There are many honest youth who are trying to create convoys of kindness and blessings but if you see a convoy of violence in any part of the country, you should know that they are not doing that with our blessing or orders or under the leadership of the National Hero’s followers,” he said.
“Blood donation is the least that can be done for them (government forces) because the casualty toll and the number of wounded is high,” said Abdullah.
Some youths also attended the event. They prayed for the soul of the National Hero and donated blood to mark the day.
“By donating blood, we fulfilled our responsibility towards the beautiful nation of Afghanistan,” said Tamim Jurat, a resident of Kabul.
“People should help others instead of creating disturbances for people,” said Ziaulhaq Faizi, a resident of Kabul.
Close aides to Massoud called on the youth not to take to the streets of Kabul on Sunday and shoot in the air during Massoud Day ceremonies.
Ahmad Shah Massoud was assassinated 17 years ago in a suicide bombing in Khajwa Bahawuddin district in Takhar by two terrorists posing as journalists.
Ahmad Shah Massoud, son of Colonel Dost Mohammad Khan, was born in Jangalak area in Panjshir district in September 1953.
He spent his childhood days in Panjshir and started school at the age of five. As a young boy he moved to Herat with his family and then to Kabul where he continued his studies.
Massoud enrolled at the Polytechnic University in Kabul in 1973 and at the same time received membership of the Nahzat Islami Afghanistan party. Two years later, in 1975, he led the first rebellion of Panjshir residents against the government of that time.