Suicide bombers, religious leader killed in Afghanistan

KABUL - Three suicide bombers died during an attack in southern Afghanistan’s Kandahar city, while a religious leader and two relatives were killed in the east of the country, officials said Monday.

One of the suicide bombers riding a motorcycle blew himself up at the gate of the Afghan border police compound in Kandahar city Sunday night, injuring four policemen, governor’s spokesman Zalmai Ayoubi said.

Two other suicide bombers later tried to enter the compound but were killed by border policemen after a brief exchange of gunfire, the spokesman said.

Kandahar is considered the birthplace of the Taliban movement.

Thousands of additional US troops arriving in the coming months are to be deployed in Kandahar province to check militant activities.

In another incident, unknown men shot dead an influential Islamic cleric and ex-jihadi commander along with two relatives Sunday in the eastern province of Kunar, provincial spokesman Edrees Gharwal said Monday.

“The gunmen killed Rahman Gul, his brother and a relative in Chapa Dara district of Kunar province when they were on their way home,” the spokesman said.

Gul was a member of the Islamic council in the province and was involved in the reintegration of armed groups in the eastern province.

The spokesman did not blame any insurgent groups, but added that it was mostly Taliban fighters who were involved in killing pro-government leaders.

Separately, one NATO soldier died of his wounds sustained during a roadside bomb explosion in southern Afghanistan Sunday.

The NATO statement did not specify the nationality of soldier killed. Most of the NATO soldiers stationed in southern provinces are from the US, Britain, Canada and the Netherlands.