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Afghanistan: Suicide blast kills top police commander | Afghanistan: Suicide blast kills top police commander |
(40 minutes later) | |
The police commander for northern Afghanistan has been killed in a suicide bomb attack on Takhar province governor's office, officials say. | |
Gen Mohammad Daud Daud is one of at least seven people killed in the suicide bomb attack, police say. | |
Western and Afghan troops are among "a significant number of casualties", a Nato spokesman said. | Western and Afghan troops are among "a significant number of casualties", a Nato spokesman said. |
Gen Daud was former military commander of the Northern Alliance, the Afghan forces who fought the Taliban. | |
Afghanistan has seen a series of attacks in recent months by militants on police and military targets. | Afghanistan has seen a series of attacks in recent months by militants on police and military targets. |
The latest attack will be seen as significant because it has struck an area of the country's north which has been seen as relatively secure. | |
The Taliban have recently declared a "spring offensive" of attacks against security forces across the country. | The Taliban have recently declared a "spring offensive" of attacks against security forces across the country. |
The latest attack occurred at the compound of Takhar provincial governor Abdul Jabar Taqwa, in Taloqan, while officials were having a meeting, a police spokesman said. | |
Seven people were killed in the explosion, including three German troops, a spokesman for the governor's office told AFP news agency, but this has not been confirmed. | |
German troops are based in neighbouring Kunduz province, and have oversight of Takhar. | |
Shah Jahan Nuri, the provincial police chief, was among the victims, and the governor was injured, the spokesman added. | |
The Taliban has claimed it carried out the attack. | |
The top commander of foreign troops in north Afghanistan was in the compound at the time but survived the explosion, a Nato spokesman said. | |
"We are aware of reports there has been an attack at the governor's palace in Taloqan, Takhar province," said Major Tim James, spokesman for the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) in Kabul. | "We are aware of reports there has been an attack at the governor's palace in Taloqan, Takhar province," said Major Tim James, spokesman for the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) in Kabul. |
"Initial reports indicate there have been a number of Isaf and ANSF (Afghan National Security Force) casualties." | "Initial reports indicate there have been a number of Isaf and ANSF (Afghan National Security Force) casualties." |
General Daud was a former deputy interior minister for narcotics. | |
He had also served as the bodyguard to Ahmad Shah Massoud, who commanded the Northern Alliance. |