Two Afghan pro-gov't figures slain in rebel attack
By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Militants pulled a deputy provincial governor from his car and shot him dead before killing a former district chief while he prayed in a mosque in the latest attacks on supporters of Afghan President Hamid Karzai, officials said Saturday.
Namatullah Yusuf Zai, southern Nimroz province's deputy governor, was driving to Kabul on Friday to attend a meeting on peace and reconciliation when militants stopped his car and killed him, Gov. Ghulam Dustaqir said. He blamed Taliban rebels for the attack.
Ten hours later, two insurgents walked into a mosque in neighboring Helmand province and shot in the head a former local district chief while he prayed, Gov. Sher Mohammed Aghunzada.
The militants fled and police launched a massive manhunt for them. Twelve suspects have been arrested, he said.