Brother of Afgan President Karzai Assassinated

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The powerful half-brother of Afghan President Hamid Karzai was shot dead in his home on Tuesday by a close family associate, according to officials.

Initial reports suggested that Ahmed Wali Karzai, the provincial council chairman for Kandahar, was killed by one of his bodyguards, but witnesses now say that he was shot at close range by Sardar Mohammed, a commander of security posts at a town just south of Kandahar who was said to be a regular visitor to Karzai's residence in city.

The New York Times on what the killing means:

The killing shook the power structure in Kandahar, which is built around the Karzai family and its nexus of connections to power brokers across southern Afghanistan including narcotics smugglers and insurgents. It appeared likely to set off a struggle for control as members of the Karzai family and leaders from other influential clans jockey for power, and some Western officials here said they anticipated more assassinations. Whether the security situation as a whole deteriorates is hard to foresee because much depends on President Karzai’s choices about how to control the situation in the province.

The Taliban quickly took credit for the assassination, although observers doubt the accuracy of the group’s claims.

This whole story seems like a CIA drama.  Wonder what we'll find out as time goes by.

Related articles

• Karzai's Half-Brother Assassinated In Kandahar (npr.org)
• Killer of Karzai's half-brother worked against Taliban, officials say - CNN International (news.google.com)
• Ahmed Wali Karzai obituary (guardian.co.uk)