Afghan military guards accused of killing police boss

Afghan president Hamid Karzai accused guards working for coalition forces of killing a provincial police chief and at least four others in a gun battle today.

He demanded that US forces hand over the guards involved.

Hafizullah Khaliqyar, the district attorney in Kandahar, said that about 50 Afghan security forces dressed in military fatigues and carrying guns burst into the attorney general’s office demanding the release of a man accused of falsifying documents.

Mr Khaliqyar said he called the provincial police chief but when he arrived there was an argument and the gun battle started.

Kandahar police chief Matiullah Qati was killed during the fight.