Firefight in Kabul: Top Karzai aide, lawmaker slain in attack

Armed men kill former governor of Uruzgan Jan Mohammad Khan.

KABUL:

Gunmen killed a top adviser to Afghan President Hamid Karzai and a member of the country’s parliament in a residential district of Kabul on Sunday, just days after the president’s brother was gunned down at home, officials said.

The spokesman for Kabul’s police chief said two or three armed men started a gun battle around 8 o’clock at the house of Jan Mohammad Khan, a former governor of southern Uruzgan province and close aide to the president.

“The battle between gunmen and security forces is still going on,” spokesman Hashmat Stanekzai said, adding that the attack began around 1530 GMT.

Lawmaker Hashim Watanwal was also killed, said Stanekzai and Obaidullah Barekzai, a member of parliament from Uruzgan province who had seen the bodies of both men being brought out.

Hours after the attack began, gunfire could still be heard in western Karte Seh district, home to the country’s parliament, many Afghan politicians and media and some embassies.

There was heavy presence of security troops in the area and the streets leading to Jan Mohammad’s home were cordoned off.

Sunday also marked the beginning of the national process of handing responsibility for security from foreign forces to Afghans, and the last day in the job for the top US commander in Afghanistan General David Petraeus.

“He (Jan Mohammad) was very close to Karzai. He was as important as AWK (Ahmed Wali Karzai),” said the government official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

An AFP reporter at the scene said there were dozens of security forces in the area. The adviser’s house was in darkness as all power had been cut off to the surrounding area and the road leading to its driveway was blocked off.

No gunshots could be heard, but police said they were continuing to clear the area.

“There has been an armed attack by at least two gunmen on the house of the former governor of Uruzgan.... Shooting is continuing,” said interior ministry spokesman Siddiq Siddiqi.

Like Karzai, Jan Mohammad hailed from a powerful family from the Popalzai tribe in Afghanistan’s restive south and was his key adviser for tribal issues.

According to the independent website afghan-bios.info, Jan Mohammad’s nephew runs a 3,000-strong militia in Uruzgan.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 18^th, 2011.