Deputy governor of northern Afghan province killed in car bomb attack

KABUL (Reuters): The deputy governor of Afghanistan’s northern Badakhshan province was killed by a car bomb on Tuesday, the provincial spokesperson said.

“Nissar Ahmad Ahmadi, with his driver, has been killed and six civilians were injured,” said Mahzudeen Ahmadi, the head of the information office of Badakshan, a province in the far north of the country that shares a border with China and Tajikistan.

It was not clear who was behind the bombing, which was the first known major blast or attack on a Taliban official in Afghanistan in several weeks.

The Taliban administration has been carrying out raids against members of Daesh, which had claimed several major attacks in urban centers.

The Daesh has also targeted Taliban administration officials, including claiming the killing of the governor of northern Balkh province in an attack on his office in March.