RussiaToday on Jul 12, 2011
The half-brother of Afghan president Hamid Karzai has been assassinated in his own home. Initial reports suggest Ahmad Wali Karzai was shot dead by one of his own bodyguards. The Taliban has claimed responsibilty and described it as 'one of its biggest achievements'. Karzai headed the Kandahar Province - a volatile region on the border with Pakistan. He was often accused in media reports of having links to Afghanistan's massive illegal drugs trade. Dr Habib Hakimi - a political analyst from Kabul - says the killing is a blow to the U.S.