Watches Afghanistan: Suicide blast kills top police commander

We are understand this Afghanistan: Suicide blast kills top police commande



General Daud was attending a meeting with other officials when the bomber struck, reports say

The police commander for northern Afghanistan has been killed in a suicide bomb attack on the provincial governor's compound in Takhar.

Gen Mohammad Daud Daud is one of at least six people killed in the attack, claimed by the Taliban.

Two German soldiers were killed and Gen Markus Kneip, commander of foreign troops in north Afghanistan, wounded.

Afghanistan has seen a series of attacks in recent months by militants on police and military targets.

Takhar provincial Governor Abdul Jabar Taqwa is among those wounded, officials said.

Gen Daud was former military commander of the Northern Alliance, the Afghan forces who fought the Taliban.

Police uniform
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.

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Analysis


Lyse Doucet
BBC News
Powerful, charismatic, controversial - General Daud played a critical role as Afghan forces prepare to take over from Isaf in key cities this year.

When I last saw him in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif in March, he was calm and confident as he organised a major security operation during Nawroz (New Year) celebrations.

Despite reports of suicide bombers in the city, there were no attacks. But he came under criticism weeks later when the UN compound was stormed by a violent mob.

There were persistent allegations he played a key role in the drugs trade he was meant to stop. But his charm and capabilities won him allies among foreign forces - although some expressed suspicion there was an "agenda" of greater autonomy for the North.

The attack will heighten concerns over the Taliban's campaign to assassinate key Afghan figures.

One intelligence official who survived the attack in Taloqan told the BBC's Bilal Sarwary that Gen Daud had left a meeting and was heading to the second floor of the building when there was a huge explosion.

"There was fire. Daud and the police chief of Takhar province were laying on the ground. There were shouts and crying. There was chaos all over the place," the official said.

Intelligence officials said Gen Daud had been warned about a threat to his life and that security was extremely tight.

However, the attacker was wearing a police uniform and passed several security checks.

Gen Daud was in charge of all interior ministry forces in northern Afghanistan and is the most senior figure to be killed so far in a Taliban "spring offensive".

coppied by http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13585242