U.S. President Barack Obama says the killing of Afghanistan’s ex-President will not deter the U.S. and Afghanistan from helping that country’s people live freely.
Mr. Obama says the former president’s death is tragic because he was a man who cared deeply about Afghanistan.
Mr. Obama commented Tuesday at the top of a meeting in New York with current Afghan President Hamid Karzai. The former president, Burhanuddin Rabbani, was killed Tuesday in a suicide bombing in Kabul. Prof. Rabbani was head of the country’s high peace council, which was set up by the Afghan government to work toward a political solution with the Taliban.
A spokesman said Mr. Karzai was cutting his trip short and returning to Kabul after the meeting with Mr. Obama.