Police shot dead an Afghan senator and his son in the northern Baghlan province after their car ran a checkpoint in the early hours of this morning, the provincial governor and police chief said.
Shirin Agha, a member of parliament's upper house, was passing through an area where Afghan forces were chasing Taliban fighters, at approximately 2am, when he was killed, Baghlan governor Akbar Barakzai said.
"The police warned him to stop, but his driver either didn't see or ignored it," Mr Barakzai said.
"The police fired at them, the bodyguard fired back. In the police firing the senator and his son were killed."
Baghlan police chief Mohamed Kabir Andarabi said the senator's son was also his driver.
Mr Andarabi added that three bodyguards who were with the men had been arrested and were being questioned about why they were travelling so late at night and why they fired at the police.
Violence in Afghanistan is at the highest levels in eight years, with several major attacks in the well patrolled capital Kabul alone. President Barack Obama has promised to increase US troop numbers next year to try and turn the tide against the insurgents.
Reuters