A SUICIDE bomber has killed three people at a Kandahar mosque during a memorial service for Ahmed Wali Karzai, the Afghan president’s brother who was assassinated earlier this week.
The attacker was a 15- or 16- year-old youth who had a bomb concealed in his turban, the Kandahar governor said.
Zalmai Ayoubi, a spokesman for the governor’s office, confirmed that three people were killed and 15 were wounded in the attack.
However, witnesses said five people had died and more than 25 were injured.
“The suicide attacker entered the mosque. One of the people who died was Maulawi Ekmattulah, the head of the local ulema shura [the provincial religious council],” Mr Ayoubi said.
The identity of the others killed has not yet been confirmed.
Haji Padshah, who had been paying his last respects to Mr Karzai at the service, said: “I was on the other side of the mosque when I heard the bang. It deafened me. I could not hear anything but I saw everyone running around.”
Speaking from the hospital where he had been taken, Mr Padshah said he saw five dead bodies and more than 25 injured survivors.
Mr Karzai was shot by his personal bodyguard on Tuesday and was buried at the family gravesite in the village of Karz. The funeral was attended by Afghan president Hamid Karzai, politicians, dignitaries and thousands of other mourners. Islamic custom dictates the deceased must be buried within 24 hours of death.
Yesterday’s memorial service was planned to allow those travelling from further afield who did not arrive in time for the burial to pay their respects.
The police have begun an investigation into the killing of Mr Karzai as it is unclear why a trusted aide would murder him.
The Taliban admitted responsibility for the assassination but a personal conflict has not been ruled out. Hamid Karzai was not at yesterday’s memorial service, having already returned to Kabul.
The burial of Mr Karzai passed without incident amid tight security provided by the Afghan national security forces.
However, Helmand’s governor, Gulab Mangal, was targeted by a remotely detonated roadside bomb in the Maiwand district of Kandahar as he travelled to the funeral. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Taliban spokesman Qari Yosuf Ahmadi said he did not have any information about the attack. – ( Guardianservice)