The provincial chief of High Peace Council Moalem Shah Wali Khan and two of his bodyguards were killed in a Taliban ambush in southern Helmand province early Wednesday, local officials said.
Four other of his bodyguards were injured in the attack.
The incident took place about 10:00am in Yakhcha area of Gereshk district while, Moalam Shah Wali Khan was travelling in the district to join in a meeting with the residents to discuss about the fifth phase of security transition, provincial governor's spokesman Mohammad Omar Zhuwak said.
"The Taliban attacked their vehicles on the way, killing Shah Wali Khan and two of his bodyguards and injuring four other bodyguards," Zhuwak said.
The provincial deputy governor Masoud Bakhtawar was also with them [Shah Wali Khan], but he survived from the attack, he said.
Moalem Shah Wali Khan was also a tribal elder in Nawa district of the province and recently worked as the provincial chief of High Peace council.
However, no group including the Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Gereskh district is considered an insecure areas in the province where insurgents frequently target local security forces.
