Afghan General Dostum's plane 'is denied Afghan landing

Afghan Vice-President Abdul Rashid Dostum tried to fly back from Turkey late on Monday but was denied permission to land, officials say. It is unclear who stopped the landing but a source close to President Ashraf Ghani told the BBC the return had not been coordinated with the government.

Atta Mohammad Noor, the powerful governor of northern Balkh province, was waiting at Mazar-e Sharif airport to meet Gen Dostum on Monday night, the Pajhwok news agency reported. The allegations against him come from Ahmad Eshchi, a former ally, who says he suffered days of severe beatings and sexual abuse at Gen Dostum's command.

In 2008 Gen Dostum went to Turkey amid similar allegations that his personal militia had abducted, beaten and sexually assaulted a political rival in Kabul, then fired on police who responded to the incident.