Afghanistan’s Election Commission on Friday postponed polls in Kandahar for a week, following a brazen attack on a high-profile security meeting there with a U.S. delegation, that killed at least two senior provincial officials, including the province’s police chief
The development came as mourners gathered for the funeral of police chief, Gen. Abdul Raziq, assassinated in Thursday’s attack. The Taliban have claimed responsibility for the assault, saying they targeted the top U.S. Commander in the country, Gen. Scott Miller, who was at the meeting but was unharmed.
The Independent Election Commission’s deputy spokesman Aziz Ibrahimi, said the postponement was meant to allow mourners to observe funeral rites for the slain officials. Also killed in Thursday’s attack was the Kandahar intelligence chief, Abdul Mohmin. The condition of the province’s Governor, Zalmay Wesa, who was wounded, has been shrouded in mystery since the assault. Some reports said Mr. Wesa has been transferred to a NATO hospital outside Kandahar.
The Kandahar meeting, convened to discuss security plans for Saturday’s parliamentary elections, had just concluded when an elite Afghan guard turned his gun on the departing delegation.
Two Afghan policemen were also killed and three were wounded in the attack, according to a Kandahar hospital official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Three Americans, a U.S. service member, a coalition contractor and an American civilian were wounded but are in stable condition, NATO said.
Funeral prayers
The funeral prayers for Raziq, who had been credited with single-handedly keeping the Taliban at bay in a province the insurgents once considered their spiritual heartland, were held on Friday at Kandahar’s most famous shrine, Khareq Mubarak.
The attack, more than 17 years after the Taliban were driven from power, underscores the harrowing insecurity in Afghanistan ahead of the elections.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s adviser, Ziaulhaq Amarkhil, said the attack was meant to disrupt elections and urged voters to defy Taliban threats, saying casting their ballot “would be a big slap on the face of the enemy.”
