2 killed in Afghan targeted shootings

Kabul, March 14 (IANS) An official of a local court and a police officer were killed in Afghanistan on Sunday morning, the latest in a string of targeted killings in the war-torn country.In Ghazni city, the capital of Ghazni province, the official, identified as Quban Ali, was shot dead by two gunmen in Police District 2 of the city when he was on his way to office, provincial government spokesman, Wahidullah Jumazada, told Xinhua news agency.The assailants fled the scene and the provincial police have launched an investigation into the case, he said.In neighbouring Nangarhar province, a police officer was killed in the provincial capital Jalalabad city.Afghan civilians continue to bear the brunt of armed conflicts as more than 2,950 civilians were killed and over 5,540 others wounded due to fighting in 2020, according to the country's independent human rights commission.In 2020, targeted attacks caused 2,250 civilian casualties, including 1,078 deaths, and 1,172 injuries, according to the commission.
--IANS ksk/