Taliban official killed in bombing

The Taliban governor of Afghanistan’s northern Balkh province was killed in a blast Thursday, according to the Taliban spokesman.

“With a heavy heart, we received the sad news that Mullah Muhammad Dawood Muzamil, governor of Balkh province, was martyred in a blast by the enemies of Islam,” Zabihullah Mujahid said in a tweet.

An investigation into the incident is underway, Mujahid said, but he did not give the cause or allege a perpetrator for the explosion.

Mujahid said the blast near the governor’s office also killed one civilian and wounded two members of the Taliban’s security forces.

According to Reuters, the governor is one of the most senior Taliban officials confirmed to have been killed since the group took control of the country in 2021. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Islamic State group has carried out past attacks against civilians, the Taliban and foreign targets in Afghanistan.