Afghan Air Force’s pilot shot dead in Kandahar City

A pilot of the Afghan Air Force was killed by gunmen in the capital city of southern Kandahar on Wednesday, an official said.

The incident occurred around 12pm in Fabrika Sarai area in the jurisdiction of the 14th police district of Kandahar city.

Kandahar police spokesman Jamal Naser Barekzai told Pajhwok Afghan News that an ANA officer was killed in the attack but his identity was yet to be known. He said the assailants fled the area but police had launched a manhunt for them.

A reliable source identified the victim as Massoud Atal, an ANA air battalion pilot.

The source said the pilot was on his way home when unknown gunmen riding a motorbike opened fire at him, killing him on the spot.

There was no claim of responsibility for the killing.

Earlier, a secretary for the ANA’s 215th Maiwand Corps commander in southern Helmand province was killed in the same area.

Many civil and military personnel, elders, women and youth have been killed in Kandahar province in a recent string of targeted attacks.