The first are supporters of Afghan Defence Minister Mohammed Qasim Fahim, whose entourage was attacked by a group of ethnic Pashtuns on a visit to Qadeer’s power base, the city of Jalalabad, in April. Four civilians were killed and more than 50 others injured when a bomb exploded as Fahim’s convoy visited the eastern Afghan town.

Qadeer, who was also the Governor of Jalalabad, blamed a local commander, Hazrat Ali, for the attack. Although a Pashtun like Qadeer, Ali is believed to have close ties with Fahim. Talking to reporters after the attack, Qadeer said that although Ali was in charge of security when Fahim was attacked, the Defence Minister gave Ali a promotion after the assassination attempt. He was given charge of the entire region bordering Pakistan despite Qadeer’s protests, the late Afghan vice president reportedly told journalists.

Qadeer also complained that Fahim was using Ali to weaken his position in the eastern provinces. Qadeer was the most powerful Pashtun commander in Fahim’s Northern Alliance, which is dominated by Tajik and other ethnic minorities. Fahim is also a Tajik.

Last month, Afghan President Hamid Karzai promoted Qadeer, making him one of the three vice presidents he appointed after the Loya Jirga or grand tribal assembly. Karzai also made him the Minister for National Reconstruction. Although relatively low profile, the newly created Ministry for National Reconstruction also became very important because of the billions of dollars Afghanistan expects from donors to rebuild the country. Holding the Ministry gives control over the dollars that will be spent during the reconstruction process.

On June 26, Karzai expanded his cabinet and appointed two more vice presidents. Being careful not to annoy the powerful Tajiks, Karzai not only retained Fahim as Defence Minister, but also made him the senior-most among the five vice presidents, besides giving ample representation to others from the Northern Alliance.

The moves were noticed by the Tajiks who showed their first reaction soon after the new cabinet was announced. The mainly non-Pashtun employees of the Interior Ministry refused to accept the new Interior Minister, Wardak, when he arrived to take charge from Qanooni, an ethnic Tajik.