Head of Kapisa Ulema Council assassinated in Afghanistan

The head of Kapisa Ulema Council was gunned down in Afghanistan's eastern province of Kapisa on Saturday.

Gul Mohammad Hanifyar, was gunned down by a number of unknown armed gunmen who came on motorcycles and opened fire on him.

"The incident took place in Khum Rubai village in Hese Dowom-e-Kohistan district in the province and Hanifyar and one of his bodyguards were killed on the spot," Tolo News quoted Qais Qaderi, the provincial governor's spokesman, as saying.

Police have started an investigation into the incident, he said.

No one has claimed responsibility of the murder.

A number of local government and security officials have been killed in different incidents in Kapisa province in the past few months. Another Ulama Council Chief Maulvi Abdul Rahim Hanafi had also been killed and five of his students were wounded in a bomb attack in the adjacent Parwan province few months ago.