A suicide bomber in southern Afghanistan attacked and killed a police commander on Friday who was responsible for the arrest this week of a mid-level Taliban leader, a provincial police chief said. Two other policemen and a civilian were killed in the blast in the capital of Helmand province, Lashkar Gah, police said.The bomber blew himself up after walking up to a vehicle in which a police officer known as Commander Mareez was travelling with some of his men, said police chief Mohammad Hussain Andiwal.
Mareez was responsible for the capture on Monday of an insurgent commander known as Naqibullah, Andiwal said. "The Taliban are behind the attack in retaliation for the capture of their commander," Andiwal said.
Three policemen were wounded in the attack, Andiwal said. Several shopkeepers were also hurt, residents said.
Taliban commander Naqibullah was captured after a shoot-out near Lashkar Gah in which three Taliban were killed. Naqibullah had twice escaped from prison and the Interior Ministry said in February he had been killed in a clash.