Taliban forces are reportedly taking credit for the assassination of Ahmad Wali Karzai, Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s half-brother, who was shot in the head by the long-time chief of his own security detail on July 12.

Police are still investigating and said an internal dispute, not politics, could have been the motive. The BBC suggested rival criminals could have been to blame. But the Taliban resistance sent a message to Al Jazeera boasting of their role in the murder and warning all government officials to resign or be killed - anywhere at any time.  

Ahmad was an extraordinarily influential figure in Afghan politics, especially in the volatile Southern region.

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Photo: The late Ahmad Wali Karzai, brother of Afghan President Hamid Karzai, speaking during a meeting with elders in Kandahar province south of Kabul, Afghanistan: AP Images