Rabbani assassination stuns world

US President Barack Obama on Tuesday condemned the killing of Rabbani and vowed it would not stop the United States from pressing on with its mission there.

Pakistan's prime minister and president also condemned it.

A Pakistani government statement Tuesday said Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and President Asif Ali Zardari conveyed their "extreme anger and shock" to the Afghan government over the killing, AFP reported.

Afghan police said that a suicide bomber wearing explosives in a turban on Tuesday killed Rabbani.

"Two men were negotiating with Rabbani on behalf of the Taleban this evening - one of them had hid explosives in his turban," said Kabul criminal investigations chief Mohammad Zaher.

"He approached Rabbani and detonated his explosives. Rabbani was martyred and four others including Massom Stanikzai were injured."

Rabbani's residence is in Kabul's heavily-guarded diplomatic enclave.

A police source said Stanekzai, a senior adviser to President Hamid Karzai, was badly injured in the attack. "Masoom Stanekzai is alive but badly wounded," the police source told Reuters.

One diplomat in Kabul said the death of Rabbani, head of the High Peace Council, dealt a blow to the attempts by Karzai's government to work towards a political end to the war.

"The killing of Rabbani is a serious blow against President Karzai and the government's peace and reconciliations efforts. It also underscores the inability of the government to protect even the most prominent Afghan politicians," the diplomat said.

Taleban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack outside the residence of Rabbani; Kazinform cites Arab News.

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