Private guard kills colleagues in Kandahar

KANDAHAR CITY (PAN): A private security guard shot dead his three colleagues and two policemen in southern Kandahar province, officials said on Tuesday.

The guard worked for a private security firm responsibly for security of convoys transporting supplies for the NATO-led troops, the governor’s spokesman, Zulmai Ayubi, told Pajhwok Afghani News.

The guard identified as Haji Muhammad alias Torjan had fled the scene after killing his three friends and two police, the gubernatorial spokesman said. Another three guards and a policeman were wounded when they intervened, he said.

There has also been a gun-battle between the guards and the police who tried to stop the firing.

A search operation to hunt down the killer had been launched, the official said.

Ayubi rejected the Taliban fighters were behind the incident; saying primary investigation showed the shootout involved only the company’s guards.

The incident comes amid public complaints that private guards are involved in violent incidents.

President Karzai has said all private security companies should be banned, accusing the firms of running a parallel set up.

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