District intelligence chief killed in explosion

The National Directorate of Security (NDS) head for Shulgar district has been killed in an explosion in northern Balkh province, an official said on Saturday.

A security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Pajhwok Afghan News the district intelligence head — Ahmad Naveed — was initially injured in the explosion on Friday afternoon.

He said Naveed succumbed to his wounds at hospital. The NDS official was heading to Mazar-i-Sharif from Shulgar when the vehicle he was traveling in struck the roadside bomb in Bodana Qala area.

Asked about the roadside bombing, the Balkh police headquarters declined commenting on the incident.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast.