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Raziq's Killer Made Phone Call Moments Before Shooting: NDS

The NDS chief Massoom Stanekzai on Monday confirmed that the Kandahar provincial governor’s bodyguard who killed Kandahar police chief Gen. Abdul Raziq last week made a two and a half minute phone call about five minutes before the attack to someone across the border. 

Addressing a press conference in Kandahar, Stanekzai, said although references had been provided, the bodyguard turned out to have been using a fake name and false ID. 

The NDS chief said the shooter had also spoken on the phone with someone across the border shortly before the attack. This conversation took place about five minutes before the shooting and lasted two and a half minutes. 

Stanekzai said the bodyguard had been hired about a month and a half ago.  

Raziq was killed when the bodyguard opened fire on him and other officials, including the provincial governor Zalmai Wesa, Gen. Abdul Momin Hassainkhail, the provincial NDS chief and Resolute Support commander Gen. Austin Scott Miller.  

Hassainkhail was also killed in the shooting and the governor was wounded. Miller escaped unharmed. 

The NDS chief said when the bodyguard opened fire on the officials, foreign troops with Miller also shot back.

According to Stanekzai, the meeting between the leaders lasted half an hour but no discussions were held on the Durand Line or on peace talks. 

He also said at least 15 people have been arrested in connection with the assassination of Raziq but that investigations continue. 

Gen Raziq, Gen Miller and the governor chat amicably just moments before the shooting

Earlier Monday, CEO Abdullah Abdullah dispelled rumors as being untrue that Resolute Support had been behind the incident. 

Speaking at the Council of Ministers Meeting, he said these rumors were simply helping the enemy.

On Friday, Miller told TOLOnews in an interview that he had not been the of Thursday’s attack in Kandahar.

“What happened in Kandahar was an attack on the security forces,” he said. 

“My assessment is that I was not the target. It was a very close confined space. But I don’t assess that I was the target,” he said. 

The American general said he had visited Kandahar residents before the attack and that they showed their desire for peace and unity.  

“Prior to the attack down in Kandahar, we were talking to the Kandahar people, and the messages we had from the Kandahar people were unity, and peace, and confidence in the security forces, very specifically in preparation for the upcoming elections, the confidence in the security forces and our support as required,” he said.

Raziq's Killer Made Phone Call Moments Before Shooting: NDS

Addressing journalists in Kandahar, Stanekzai said the shooter had spoken on the phone to contacts across the border just five minutes before the attack. 

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The NDS chief Massoom Stanekzai on Monday confirmed that the Kandahar provincial governor’s bodyguard who killed Kandahar police chief Gen. Abdul Raziq last week made a two and a half minute phone call about five minutes before the attack to someone across the border. 

Addressing a press conference in Kandahar, Stanekzai, said although references had been provided, the bodyguard turned out to have been using a fake name and false ID. 

The NDS chief said the shooter had also spoken on the phone with someone across the border shortly before the attack. This conversation took place about five minutes before the shooting and lasted two and a half minutes. 

Stanekzai said the bodyguard had been hired about a month and a half ago.  

Raziq was killed when the bodyguard opened fire on him and other officials, including the provincial governor Zalmai Wesa, Gen. Abdul Momin Hassainkhail, the provincial NDS chief and Resolute Support commander Gen. Austin Scott Miller.  

Hassainkhail was also killed in the shooting and the governor was wounded. Miller escaped unharmed. 

The NDS chief said when the bodyguard opened fire on the officials, foreign troops with Miller also shot back.

According to Stanekzai, the meeting between the leaders lasted half an hour but no discussions were held on the Durand Line or on peace talks. 

He also said at least 15 people have been arrested in connection with the assassination of Raziq but that investigations continue. 

Gen Raziq, Gen Miller and the governor chat amicably just moments before the shooting

Earlier Monday, CEO Abdullah Abdullah dispelled rumors as being untrue that Resolute Support had been behind the incident. 

Speaking at the Council of Ministers Meeting, he said these rumors were simply helping the enemy.

On Friday, Miller told TOLOnews in an interview that he had not been the of Thursday’s attack in Kandahar.

“What happened in Kandahar was an attack on the security forces,” he said. 

“My assessment is that I was not the target. It was a very close confined space. But I don’t assess that I was the target,” he said. 

The American general said he had visited Kandahar residents before the attack and that they showed their desire for peace and unity.  

“Prior to the attack down in Kandahar, we were talking to the Kandahar people, and the messages we had from the Kandahar people were unity, and peace, and confidence in the security forces, very specifically in preparation for the upcoming elections, the confidence in the security forces and our support as required,” he said.

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