Bomb kills 3, including provincial governor, in Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Police say a Taliban-appointed provincial governor and two others have been killed in a bomb explosion. Mohammad Asif Waziri, the Taliban police spokesman for the northern Balkh province, said Thursday that Daud Muzmal and two others were killed inside the governor’s office in Mazar-e Sharif, the provinicial capital. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the regional affiliate of the Islamic State group — known as the Islamic State in Khorasan Province — is a key rival of the Taliban. The militant group has increased its attacks in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover of the country in August 2021. Targets have included Taliban patrols and members of Afghanistan’s Shiite minority.