Mazar-i-Sharif attack: When a former Mujahideen took up arms to protect Indian mission in Afghanistan

A former Mujahideen, Governor of Afghanistan's Balkh province Ata Mohammad Noor on Monday wielded the gun to protect the Indian consulate at Mazar-i-Sharif after it was attacked last night by heavily-armed militants who tried to storm in. In pictures that have gone viral, Noor is seen holding an assault rifle and aiming to take shots and also interacting with the soldiers outside the Indian consulate in Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of his province, Indian Ambassador to Afghanistan Amar Sinha tweeted "Clearing ops (operations) in Mazar on by special forces. Heavy fighting going on. GOV (Governor) Atta personally monitoring. All safe in consulate." 

Clearing ops in Mazar on by special forces. Heavy fighting going on. GOV Atta personally monitoring. All safe in consulate.

— Amar Sinha (@SenseandC_sense) January 4, 2016

He also retweeted a message by a journalist which said, "A friend in need ..Meet the Afg (Afghan) guv (governor) who took up arms to protect Indian consulate in Mazar-i-Sharif". 

“A friend in need ..the Afghan governor, Ata Mohammad Noor who took up arms to protect Indian consulate in Mazar-i-Sharif." @SenseandC_sense

— Indian Defence Wire (@TheIndianTalks) January 5, 2016

Noor is a former Mujahideen during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and is trained in combat. He has also served as a commander in Ahmad Shah Masood's Norther Alliance - the resistance against the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.