KABUL, Afghanistan, Aug. 3 (UPI) -- An Afghan police commander killed 17 citizens in the southern province of Uruzgan, local officials said.
Provincial council officials and local residents said the local police commander forced 20 Afghan civilians from their houses in the Khas district Thursday and killed 17 of them, Khaama Press reported.
Witnesses said the commander killed the people, including children and an older man, after accusing them of having ties to Taliban militants.
Khaama Press said the commander acted after anti-government militants killed two of his colleagues.
Bakhtar News said Ayaullah Bek, a former member of Afghanistan's Parliament, was killed in a blast in Ghoor province Thursday.
Officials said Bek died when his vehicle struck a roadside bomb. Two bodyguards were wounded.
In the eastern Afghan city of Chaparhar, officials reported at least 19 people were hurt when a bomb exploded during Friday prayers in a mosque, RIA Novosti reported.
Witnesses said the imam was seriously injured.
On Monday, at least five people were killed when a bomb exploded a mosque in Uruzgan province.
