Bomb kills Afghan official; air strike hits Taliban 'shadow governor'

Afghanistan's intelligence says Taliban's senior commander was killed along with two other commanders in an air strike

KABUL: An Afghan district chief and three other people died when their car hit a roadside bomb on Sunday, the latest in a wave of assassinations by Taliban insurgents.

An air strike also killed the Taliban "shadow governor" for the eastern province of Kunar. The United States and its allies continue to target insurgent leaders following the withdrawal of most international troops after 13 years of war.

Abdul Khalil Asir, a police spokesman for the northern province of Takhar, said the chief of Eshkamish district and three security personal were killed early Sunday morning.

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"They were going to visit a checkpost that had been attacked by Taliban overnight ... when their car was blown up," Asir said.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the bombing, which came a day after insurgents killed 17 police in another attack in the southern province of Helmand.

Also Sunday, Afghanistan's internal intelligence agency said that the Taliban's senior commander - known as a shadow governor - for the eastern province of Kunar was killed along with two other commanders in an air strike.

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The US-led coalition force did not immediately confirm it carried out the raid.

Missile strikes by unmanned drones and other aircraft are one of the remaining actions of U.S. and allied forces who remain in Afghanistan after the official end of combat operations at the end of last year.