Afghan official: Provincial police chief killed in blast

KABUL, Afghanistan – An Afghan official says that a police chief has been killed after his vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb blast in an eastern province.

Zabihullah Zemarai, a provincial council member in Nangarhar province, said Sunday that Gen. Zarawer Zahid died from his wounds after his vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb.

The attack took place in the Hasarak district where Zahid was leading an operation against insurgents.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack in Nangarhar, but Taliban insurgents have stepped up their attacks against Afghan security forces and their checkpoints across the country.