Taliban governor of Afghanistan's Balkh killed in blast - police

A blast tore through the Taliban governor's office in Afghanistan's northern Balkh province on Thursday, killing him and two others, police said. "Today around 9am a blast took place inside the second floor of the governor's office, due to the blast (governor) Mawlawi Mohammad Dawood Muzamil has been killed with two civilians," said Mohammed Asif Waziri, Balkh's police spokesperson. The incident marks one of the most senior officials confirmed dead since the Taliban took over the country in 2021.

A blast tore through the Taliban governor's office in Afghanistan's northern Balkh province on Thursday, killing him and two others, police said.

"Today around 9am a blast took place inside the second floor of the governor's office, due to the blast (governor) Mawlawi Mohammad Dawood Muzamil has been killed with two civilians," said Mohammed Asif Waziri, Balkh's police spokesperson. He said police were investigating and would provide more details once they became clear.

The cause of the blast was not immediately known. The incident marks one of the most senior officials confirmed dead since the Taliban took over the country in 2021. The Islamic State has claimed a series of deadly attacks in Afghanistan in recent months, some on civilian targets and others on Taliban security forces.