Afghan bomb kills dy governor, 5 others

 
This year has been the bloodiest in Afghanistan since the Taliban’s removal in 2001, with military and civilian casualties at record levels. More foreign troops have died this year already than in the whole of 2009.

Militants have also stepped up targeted attacks on officials. An average of 21 people were reported to be assassinated each week, the United Nations said in a quarterly report on the country this month, up from seven a week earlier this year.

Deputy governor Mohammad Kazim Allahyar and several men travelling with him were killed when the attacker detonated his explosives at the back of their car near the airport in Ghazni city, police said.