Fabrice Coffrini/Reuters
Afghanistan’s president slapped an aide after members of his security team assaulted a young man following an event on Thursday, The New York Times reports. Ashraf Ghani’s physical outburst stemmed from his security detail’s allegedly violent reaction after 18-year-old Raees Wafa attempted to hand the president a petition following a meeting on trade. According to The Times, Wafa stood after Ghani’s speech, yelling that he wanted a moment with the president, and to hand him a petition detailing alleged injustice against his family members. Ghani reportedly walked toward Wafa and told him that he had to meet with dignitaries. “The young man said injustice had been committed against him and he wanted his voice heard. At his moment, Mr. Ghani’s guards or his protocol people covered the guy’s mouth and were trying to take him outside,” Toorkhan Zarifi, an elder who attended, was quoted by The Times as saying. “The president got near his staff and he was angry,” Zafiri also said. “He slapped one of his own men in the face and body and then left the hall.” Ghani’s “elite” guards nonetheless dragged Wafa out of the venue and placed him in a military vehicle, according to video circulating on social media.