Kabul cleric body’s deputy chief gunned down

KABUL Council, Mualvi Abdul Basir Haqqani, was assassinated in an armed attack in capital Kabul on Saturday, an official said.

Kabul police spokesman, Basir Mujahid, told Pajhwok Afghan News that the incident took place in Chehelsoton area of Kabul around 2pm.

He said the Kabul Ulema Council deputy head, Mualvi Abdul Basir Haqqani, was shot in the head and was found lying on road in the area.

Security forces arrested one suspect in connection with the incident and to him to the National Directorate of Security (NDS) for investigation, Mujahid said.

Haqqani had been serving as deputy head of Kabul Ulema Council form the last several years and he usually supported the government.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the assassination.

A week back, dozens of Islamic scholars were killed and wounded in a suicide attack during a gathering marking Eid Miladun Nabi or the birthday of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) in a hotel in Kabul.

Meanwhile, President Ashraf Ghani strongly condemned the killing of Mualvi Mujahid. A statement from the Presidential Palace quoted President Ghani as saying: “By attacking Ulema, Quran memorizers and Islamic gatherings, terrorists show they are practically in war against Islamic values.”

The president ordered all relevant security organs to arrest the perpetrators of the attack. He said enemies of Afghanistan could not weaken the will of people particularly of Ulema for peace by attacking them and killing them.

mds/ma

Views: 2