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While the two men have a long history of not getting along, a senior Afghan official who also spoke on the condition of anonymity said Ishchi had shown some sign of disrespect at what is a vulnerable time for the general.

He has increasingly felt marginalized and humiliated by Ghani in Kabul. He has spent more time away from his office, often seen in uniform in the battlefields of his northern stronghold, than behind his desk.

Ishchi has been involved in politics in the north for decades, and he helped Dostum found the Junbish party that he leads now. A former labor leader during the communist regime, he rose to serve in senior provincial government positions. One of his sons was a district governor in Jowzjan, and another is a member of the provincial council there. A third son has become rich in recent years through businesses he has in Turkey.

The senior Afghan official said though Ishchi’s power amounts to little compared with Dostum’s, the general nevertheless considers the Ishchi family a threat to his own dynasty as he grooms his children to inherit his party and power.

The incident happened soon after Dostum returned to the country after weeks of absence following another outburst aimed at Ghani, in which he threatened to cause trouble if he was not taken seriously. The outburst was triggered by anger at the lack of help from the central government when the general’s convoy was ambushed by the Taliban during a military operation in Faryab province, killing many of the men who had been at his side for years.

At Friday’s game, Dostum arrived in a convoy of black armored vehicles. Before the goat was slaughtered to start the action, local musicians sang a tribute to the recent martyrs as the general wept. His trembling lips pushing out deep breaths of pain, and with snow gathering on his shoulders, he wiped his tears with a white tissue.

Then, he took it out on Ishchi.