President of Afghanistan's brother killed in Kandahar

Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai's half brother was assassinated today by a close associate.

Ahmed Wali Karzai was the head of the Kandahar provincial council, and considered the most powerful man in southern Afghanistan.

He was shot was shot to death while receiving guests at his home by a close associate, who was immediately killed by bodyguards.

President Hamid Karzai commented about his brother’s death at a press conference.

``Such is the life of Afghanistan's people. In the houses of the people of Afghanistan, each of us is suffering and our hope is, God willing, to remove this suffering from the people of Afghanistan and implement peace and stability,'' he said.

The United Nations said last month that more than half of all assassinations across Afghanistan since March had been in Kandahar province.

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