Senior Afghan Official Killed
A senior Afghan provincial official has been killed in eastern Afghanistan after militants attacked his vehicle, Afghan officials told VOA.
Qamaruddin Shikib, the deputy governor of eastern Logar province, was traveling to the capital, Kabul, when his vehicle was ambushed in Mohammad Agha district of eastern Logar province.
In a statement released Thursday, the Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG), a government institution overseeing local governance, condemned the attack and confirmed the death of Shikib.
Abdul Wali Wakil, a member of Logar’s provincial council, told VOA that Shikib was on his way to Kabul for official business when he was attacked by a group of unknown armed men.
The deputy governor reportedly was traveling with Haqiq Rahman, a provincial judiciary official, a driver and two bodyguards. His driver was reportedly killed in the attack and the two bodyguards and the judiciary official have been wounded.
There also were unconfirmed reports that Saleem Khan Saleh, the provincial government’s spokesperson, was traveling with the deputy governor and had been killed.
The news of Saleh’s death has not yet been confirmed by authorities.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but officials suspected it was carried out by the Taliban.