Washington neutral ahead of Afghan vote

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 (UPI) -- Washington expressed concern over the return of a politically influential warlord to Afghanistan but remains neutral on any candidate in the Thursday vote.

Gen. Abdul Rashid Dostum, an Uzbek warlord allegedly linked to the mass execution of Taliban prisoners in 2001, returned from exile in Turkey on Monday to throw his support behind Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

Dostum faced criticism for his alleged role in the massacre of "hundreds, perhaps thousands" of Taliban prisoners in 2001 while cooperating with U.S. Special Forces and intelligence officers in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

Washington has backed away from Dostum, expressing its concern over the return of the Uzbek warlord just days before Afghans head to the polls.

"We have made clear to the government of Afghanistan our serious concerns regarding the return of Mr. Dostum and any prospective role in today's Afghanistan," said U.S. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, for her part, maintained that despite the political situation in Afghanistan, Washington would not express its public support for any of the candidates.

"We do not support or oppose any particular candidate," she said. "Like the Afghan people we want to see credible, secure and inclusive elections that all will judge legitimate."

Karzai leads closest rival former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah in the latest polls, though the margin is not enough to secure a clear majority, suggesting the vote could go to a runoff.