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Influential Afghan Police Commander Killed

by Ayesha Tanzeem

   KABUL --

   Three top officials in southern Afghanistan, including the powerful
   police commander General Abdul Raziq, have been killed in a shooting
   incident during a visit of the top U.S. general in Afghanistan.

   American General Scott Miller, who was unharmed, was visiting the
   Kandahar governor's compound for a meeting with the governor and other
   provincial officials. Local media said the participants were making
   their way to a helipad after the meeting when the shooting occurred.
   In addition to Raziq, who had survived several previous Taliban
   attempts on his life, Thursday's assault killed the provincial governor
   and intelligence chief. Two American soldiers were wounded and a local
   camera was killed.

   The Taliban claimed responsibility, saying an "infiltrator" carried out
   the attack that was aimed at both Raziq and the American general.

   "Initial reports indicate this was an Afghan-on -Afghan incident," said
   Col. Knut Peters, spokesman for NATO's Afghanistan mission Resolute
   Support.
   He said the two wounded Americans had been evacuated and the attacker
   was dead.

   Raziq's assassination is a major blow to counter-Taliban efforts in
   Kandahar, where the U.S. military operates the second largest base in
   the country.
   Raziq had been the police chief for Kandahar province since 2011 and
   was known to have kept the Taliban at bay. A New York Times [1]story in
   2014 called him the man who put "Fear in Taliban and Their Enemies."

   At the same time, human rights activists blamed his security forces for
   widespread abuses.
   By many accounts, Raziq was one of the most powerful and rich men in
   southern Afghanistan. His death, analysts say, could change the
   political landscape.
   "Its going to have a significant impact on the whole security balance
   in southern Afghanistan, but particularly Kandahar," said Mushtaq
   Rahim, an independent political analyst based in Kabul. "He was able to
   maintain the security presence of the Afghan government on the
   outskirts of the city and even in faraway areas."
   In general, in Afghanistan, the rural areas outside the city are
   considered to be much harder to secure and many of them are under
   Taliban influence or control.

   Ayaz Gul contributed to this report.

References

   1. https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/09/world/asia/powerful-afghan-police-chief-puts-fear-in-taliban-and-their-enemies-.html