Kandahar mayor dies in suicide bomb blast

The mayor of Kandahar in Afghanistan was assassinated today by a suicide bomber who

Ghulam Hamidi, 65, is the fourth top official murdered this month.

President Karzai's powerful half-brother Ahmed, the provincial council's head, was shot dead in his heavily fortified Kandahar home by a close associate on July 12.

Five days later fanatics with explosives strapped to their bodies murdered presidential adviser Jan Khan at his Kabul home along with Uruzgan MP Mohammad Watanwal.

Hamidi's killer infiltrated a group which arrived to discuss a housing dispute with him at a government building, said police.

A civilian was also killed by the blast, which injured a bystander and a security guard.

"The suicide bomber put the explosives inside his turban," said deputy police chief Sher Yousafzai. "As soon as the mayor came to work, the man detonated them."