Quasi-Canadian governor of Afghan province blown away by mic bomb

Note from Ed.: I want to assure readers who don't like Walt's crudités assorties [assorted crudities] that I have made him promise not to make fun of the name of the subject of this story. De mortuis nil nisi bonum.

Meet Arsala Jamala. Until today he was an example of a refugee who made good. He came from his native Afghanistan to Canada some years ago, but kept in touch with people who matter back home, and eventually returned as governor (no less!) of the eastern Afghan province of Khost. He was appointed by his great and good friend Mohammed Karzai, often mentioned here in WWW.

Then Mr Jamal returned to Canada briefly, coming back again last April as governor of neighbouring Logar province, strategically located just to the south of Kabul. Logar happens to be the site of what will be the world's second-biggest copper mine, being developed by the Chinese [Who else? Ed.] who doubtless will be paying many many yuan in royalties and other "incentives" to, errr...

Well, not to Mr Jamal, that's for sure. Why? Because Governor Lepetomane [Jamal, surely! Ed.] was killed in an explosion in a mosque, while greeting and congratulating worshippers during prayers for the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha. A bomb hidden in a microphone went off, killing Mr Jamal and injuring 18 others, some seriously.

The BBC's Dawood Azami said the assassination is not particularly unusual, for that part of the world. Over the past ten years about 1000 mid-level Afghan leaders have been killed, with provincial and district governors, religious scholars and tribal elders being the favourite targets. Just another hot day in the sandpit.

Further reading: "How Canada made things worse in Afghanistan". How Ironic that Walt posted this only yesterday!