Kandahar: The president of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai led the mourners of Ahmed Wali Karzai, half-brother of the president. Ahmed’s murder on Tuesday has brought a big blow to the US stakes in Afghanistan. US had shortly declared its intention to reduce its forces from the country, but the murder of an influential fellow corroborating the president has sent a stiff message to the international community about the situation in this country.

Ahmed Wali had been an influential fellow of Kandahar. His being brother of the president adds to the seriousness the fundamentalists in Afghanistan should be taken with. He was killed by his own security men. The reach of the opponents into the administration is itself clear.

How unsafe the rulers are in this country was made clear by the incidents around the funeral procession. The procession counting in thousands moved to the home village of the slain, only 20 odd kilometers away from Kandahar. The attacks were organized despite heavy security arrangements and helicopters hovering over the procession.

The opponents and the critics of the US backed Karzai’s rule in Afghanistan have long been describe the rule to be confined to the capital only. This event of attacks during the funeral has demonstrated this view to be closer to the truth. There were attacks with blasts before and after the funeral.

According to reports, Gulab Mangal, the Governor of Helmand province escaped an explosion on his way to the funeral.
Al Jazeera correspondent from Kabul reported: “The governor’s spokesman confirmed that this morning when they were driving from Helmand to Kandahar, a roadside landmine, which was just 10 metres from the car, exploded. And two of the governor’s bodyguards got injured.”

“We know we live in a dangerous country. We know that security has to be tight all the time and the president knows [this]. He’s got good security and that is not a worry for the president,” said Karzai’s spokesman.

“The president is upset, he is still in grief, about the death of his brother. Wali was a very close brother of the president,” He said. President addressed a news conference telling of his brother.

“This is the life of the people of Afghanistan. Afghan families, every one of us, have suffered from it, and we hope, God willing, for our suffering to be over,” he said.

Taliban is reported to have taken the responsibility of the Wali’s assassination. “When Taliban launched Operation Badar earlier in the year, they said, their aim would be to target top officials,” said Al Jazeera’s Azimy.

“But his (Wali Karzai’s) cousin was shocked how it could happen to him by someone from his own tribe, someone who had served him for years.”

Prince Ali Seraj of the national coalition of tribes said: “I believe and my people believe that this assasination was at the hands of a friend, who came from the same tribe and who had been serving for seven years so it is very difficult for Taliban to penetrate such a relationship, we believe it was totally personal.

“I don’t think that they had a hand in it. And now in order to prove that they had a hand, they have carried out this explosion targeting the car of the governor of Helmand.”

The correspondent added “It will affect the security, of course… some believe, it will have an affect immediately in the coming weeks. It will affect Karzai’s's plan of talking to the Taliban”.

“We have received a Taliban statement giving message to all government officials to give up their jobs. And also saying that they (Taliban) can get them anywhere, when they want.”