US condemns the murder of Kandahar mayor

WASHINGTON, DC (PAN): The United States has strongly condemned the murder of Kandahar mayor Ghulam Haidar Hamidi.

At the same time, the US insists that the Afghanistan.

“We condemn in the strongest possible terms the murder of Kandahar mayor Ghulam Haider Hamidi and extend our deepest condolences to his family,” State Department spokesman Mark Toner said. 

“We have seen media reports that the Taliban have claimed responsibility for the attack. We have no independent confirmation of those reports. As you know, they do this quite often. It’s very unclear whether they actually are responsible for it,” he said.

Toner said the US believes that the “surge” has clearly put pressure on the Taliban. He continued:  “These kinds of heinous acts really only strengthen our resolve to work with the government of Afghanistan, the people of Afghanistan, to address these fundamental issues of security, stability, and to help create the institutions that will lead to a more successful, prosperous, and peaceful future for… Afghanistan,” he said.

In another statement, Senator Carl Levin, Chairman of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee, said the assassination of the Kandahar mayor is a tragic loss. 

“He had left a comfortable life in the United States to try to improve conditions in his native Afghanistan,” Levin said. 

“In my meetings with Mayor Hamidi in Kandahar, he impressed me with his commitment to building a better future for Afghans and his bravery in confronting extremists and powerful interests in Kandahar.  My condolences go out to his family and friends,” the Senator said.

The State Department spokesman said the US remained committed to working with Afghanistan across a range of economic, political and security-related issues. 

“Ultimately, our goal here is to create an Afghanistan that can stand on its own feet, both in terms of security but also economically,” Toner said.

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