Afghan bomb kills Logar governor Jamal in mosque

[EC]

Via the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24530600

The governor of Afghanistan's eastern Logar province has been killed in a blast in a mosque, during prayers for the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha.

Arsala Jamal was standing at the front of the mosque greeting worshippers when a bomb hidden under a table detonated.

At least 15 people were injured, and several were in a critical condition, Mr Jamal's spokesman said.

Logar is south of the capital, Kabul, and the Taliban increasingly controls much of the countryside.

The attack took place at Logar's main mosque in the provincial capital of Pul-i-Alam, said spokesman Din Mohammed Darwesh.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

However, Logar and its neighbouring province Wardak have become increasingly lawless in recent years, says the BBC's David Loyn, in Kabul.

The Taliban has threatened to increase attacks against government figures during the presidential campaign which will begin next month, our correspondent says.
Increasingly lawless

Mr Jamal was appointed as governor in April after returning to Afghanistan from Canada. Previously he was governor of another eastern province, Khost - which shares a border with Pakistan's tribal region of Waziristan.
He was an expert in rural development who had worked for foreign NGOs before being appointed to government positions.

The governor was also close to President Hamid Karzai and even worked as his campaign manager in the 2009 elections.

The BBC's Dawood Azami says the killing is part of a series of assassinations that have taken place in Afghanistan.


Profile: Arsala Jamal

    Born in 1966 in Paktika province, Arsala Jamal was a well-travelled man with crucial experience in rural development
    He was close to President Hamid Karzai and even worked as his campaign manager in 2009
    Schooled in Kabul and Peshawar, Pakistan, he went to Malaysia to study for his economics degree
    He migrated to Canada with his family a few years ago but returned to the country after the US-led invasion
    When back in Afghanistan he worked for the Central Bank and Care International, advised the ministry for rural affairs and also served as governor of Khost province
    He also worked as the acting minister for border and tribal affairs
    Analysts say that Jamal was known as an active and competent politician with experience of dealing with tribal elders and foreign donors
    Appointed to the Logar job in April 2013 he planned to champion the development of a massive copper mine which has attracted Chinese investment

More at link.