The mayor of Kandahar, Ghulam Haidar Hameedi, has been killed in a suicide attack. The perpetrator detonated explosives hidden in his turban as the mayor made an address to tribal officials, discussing a land dispute. This is not the first time an attack has been made by hiding a bomb in a turban but tradition dictates that turbans must not be removed.
The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack, which coincides with the start of the security handover from NATO to local troops. They claim that the attack was in response to the deaths of two children which had occurred after Hameedi ordered the demolition of 200 illegally constructed houses.
Hameedi was a popular mayor by all accounts, who stood up to the militia and encouraged the building of roads and public buildings. The BBC report refers to him as ‘competent and trusted’.
The US Ambassador offered his condolences and sincere regret at the loss of yet another top Afghan official. Karzai’s senior aide was assassinated a week ago and it has been just two weeks since President Karzai’s brother was killed in the very same city.
Kandahar was the countries designated capital during Taliban rule until 2006 so it is unsurprising that much of their efforts have been centred here.
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http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2011/07/27/mayor-death-wont-affect-ongoing-projects-wesa
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