A suicide bomber killed one of the most powerful men in north Afghanistan, along with a provincial police chief and three German troops, when he attacked a meeting of political and military leaders for once-peaceful Takhar province.
NATO’s commander for the northern region and the governor of Takhar province were also in the provincial council gathering, but survived the attack, officials said.
The most high-profile casualty was General Dawood Dawood, police chief of north Afghanistan, a former deputy interior minister and before that a close associate of mujahideen commander Ahmad Shah Masood.
The loss of such a prominent and influential leader is a big blow to a force which is struggling to professionalise and shake off a reputation for abuse and corruption as foreign forces prepare to hand over security responsibilities in coming years.
