Thousands have joined Afghan President Hamid Karzai to mourn at the funeral of his half-brother near Kandahar.
Ahmad Wali Karzai, a controversial but key figure in Nato's battle against the Taliban, was gunned down at home by his bodyguard on Tuesday.
The weeping president climbed into the grave to kiss his brother's forehead before appealing to Taliban militants to stop their violent uprising.
Reports suggest an explosion hit an official car after the funeral.
AP news agency reported two of Helmand provincial governor Gulab Mangal's entourage were injured when their vehicle struck a roadside bomb outside Kandahar.
Security was tight, with helicopters overhead and many troops deployed.
Karzai was shot twice by his family friend and long-time head of security, Sardar Mohammed, who was himself killed almost immediately, in an attack claimed by the Taliban as one of their top achievements in 10 years of war.
Corrupt warlord?
Bus-loads of mourners followed the body from the provincial governor of Kandahar's compound to his family village of Karz, some 20km (12 miles) away.
At the graveside, Hamid Karzai wept and kissed his dead half-brother's face as senior politicians looked on, before appealing to the militants to stop the bloodshed.
"My message for [the Taliban] is that my countryman, my brother, stop killing your own people," said Mr Karzai. "It's easy to kill and everyone can do it, but the real man is the one who can save people's lives."
Tuesday's killing was the latest and most high-profile in a series of assassinations of senior politicians and security commanders across the country.
Ahmad Wali Karzai in April talking about death threats against him in the BBC documentary Afghanistan: The Unknown Country
It has raised questions about how to ensure the security of Afghanistan's top officials, while leaving a political vacuum in the country's south that many fear will play into Taliban hands.
"The reality in the south is that we have the drug problem, we have the insurgency problems, we have weak governance and we have a disaffected population," said former MP Daoud Sultanzoy.
"So when you look at all these things, the mishmash of capabilities of one person to deal with all these things is a very, very important trait in anybody who can come and fill this void."
Ahmad Wali Karzai could be replaced by one strong figure connected to the local tribal elite - possibly another of the president's brothers - or several bureaucrats, Mr Sultanzoy told the BBC's World Today programme.
Sleeper agent killer?
Questions are being asked about how Kandahar's Mr Fix-it had his own security compromised, says the BBC's Quentin Sommerville in Kabul.
The Taliban say the killer was a sleeper agent, and that their intention was to make it more difficult for the Afghan government to exert control over the restive region.
While the bodyguard's motives remain unclear, it seems unlikely that someone so close to the Karzai family was working for the insurgents, says our correspondent. Ahmad Wali Karzai stood accused of many things, from drug trafficking to large-scale corruption.
He had many enemies beyond the Taliban, and others in a criminal network may be to blame for his death, our correspondent adds.
Critics said Ahmad Wali Karzai was a warlord mired in corruption who was openly involved in the drugs trade and had a personal militia at his disposal.
His supporters saw him as a defender of Pashtun rights. The president repeatedly defended him, denouncing accusations that his brother was involved in criminal activities.
It is hard to overstate how important Ahmad Wali Karzai was in the south of Afghanistan and in Nato's efforts to combat the Taliban in their stronghold there, says our correspondent.
As head of the Kandahar Provincial Council, Ahmad Wali Karzai was a staunch ally of US and allied forces in Afghanistan - to the extent that they turned a blind eye to accusations he was involved in drug-trafficking, he adds.
The half-brother of Afghan President Hamid Karzai has been assassinated in Kandahar.
Ahmad Wali Karzai, a leading power broker in the country's south, was shot dead at his home in a blow to Nato's battle against the Taliban in the area.
He was shot twice by his long-time head of security Sardar Mohammed, who was himself killed almost immediately.
The Taliban said they carried out the attack, calling it one of their top achievements in 10 years of war.
Khaled Pashtun, a Kandahar province politician, was sceptical about the Taliban claims, saying the Islamist group had claimed responsibility for many attacks in the past without much evidence of their involvement.
Sardar Mohammed's motives remain unclear, but the killing will raise questions about securing Afghanistan's top officials.
The last time I saw Ahmad Wali Karzai in his heavily protected compound, he said the war against the Taliban in Kandahar was being won. He wanted foreign troops to stay the course - even though his brother, the president, didn't.
The man they called Mr Kandahar was asked to solve every problem from tackling Taliban strongholds to solving the personal problem of anyone who made it to his door. President Karzai relied on him to consolidate his tribal and political sway in the restive south - he must now be deeply worried.
Nato officials had often spoken of putting Ahmad Wali Karzai "on notice" over allegations of drug deals, and corruption. He challenged everyone to prove them.
There's an old Afghan saying "Whoever controls Kandahar, controls Afghanistan". Ahmad Wali Karzai was the lynchpin in so many areas, his death now leaves a dangerous vacuum.
Kandahar police chief Abdul Razeq told reporters that Mr Mohammed had travelled to Mr Karzai's home early on Tuesday, saying he needed to show documents to his boss.
"The man carried his pistol through the security checks to Wali Karzai's room. As soon as Wali Karzai came out of the bathroom, he opened fire and shot him in the head and chest," Mr Razeq said.
The killing is the latest and most high-profile in a series of assassinations of senior politicians and security commanders across the country.
The Afghan president, who is expected to leave Kabul shortly to attend his half-brother's funeral, said the assassination reflected the suffering of all Afghan people.
"This is the way of life for the people of Afghanistan," said Mr Karzai.
"The homes of all Afghans feel this pain. Our hope is this will come to an end, and peace and happiness will come to our homes and will come to rule in our country."
Critics said Ahmad Wali Karzai was a warlord mired in corruption who was openly involved in the drugs trade and had a personal militia at his disposal.
His supporters saw him as a defender of Pashtun rights. The president repeatedly defended him, denouncing accusations that his brother was involved in criminal activities.
Security was intensified in Kandahar following Tuesday morning's shooting, as the body of Ahmad Wali Karzai was taken to a nearby hospital.
The BBC's Quentin Sommerville in Kabul says it is hard to overstate how important Ahmad Wali Karzai was in the south of Afghanistan and in Nato's efforts to combat the Taliban in their stronghold there.
Our correspondent adds that as head of the Kandahar Provincial Council, he was a staunch ally of US and allied forces in Afghanistan - to the extent that they turned a blind eye to accusations he was involved in drug-trafficking.
"[Ahmad Wali Karzai] had his unsavoury side, but he was someone we could work with and he kept a lid on things in Kandahar," a US official told the BBC.
The commander of the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf), US General David Petraeus, condemned the assassination and said Isaf would work with the Afghan government to bring anyone involved to justice.
"President Karzai is working to create a stronger, more secure Afghanistan, and for such a tragic event to happen to someone within his own family is unfathomable," said Gen Petraeus.
Ahmad Wali Karzai had survived attempts on his life before, most recently in a rocket and machine-gun attack in 2009 as his convoy was travelling towards Kabul.
The previous year, he was chairing a meeting in a government building when a bomb-filled fuel tanker exploded close by.
Although Mr Karzai escaped unhurt, six people were killed and 40 wounded in the blast.
He and other officials blamed Taliban militants for the bombing.
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2004: Kabul Bank founded by international poker player, Sherkhan Farnood
September 2010: Kabul Bank taken over by the central bank after a run on the bank amid fears of its collapse
February 2011: Abdul Qadeer Fitrat, central bank governor, tells BBC those involved in bank's woes should be prosecuted
February 2011: An IMF report recommends the bank be put in receivership
April 2011: Mr Fitrat, names in parliament prominent Afghan figures in connection with the Kabul Bank scandal
May 2011: Report by anti-corruption office shows $467m (£290m) of outstanding loans were made without appropriate collateral
Charges made against Mr Fitrat include that he financially mismanaged the bank, sabotaged the country's economy, ignored advice from other government institutions and did not adequately observe private banks.
The US - where Mr Fitrat has residency - does not have an extradition treaty with Afghanistan. He has said he has no plans to return to Afghanistan.
The embezzlement at Kabul Bank, Afghanistan's largest private bank, almost led to its collapse last year after it was discovered that hundreds of millions of dollars had gone missing.
The bank handles up to 80% of the government payroll, including salaries for policemen and teachers.
In April, Mr Fitrat accused several key Afghan officials - including President Hamid Karzai's brother and Vice-President Qasim Fahim - of being involved. Both deny the charges.
Then on Monday, he told reporters he had had to leave the country after receiving information that his life was in danger from "credible sources".
'Difficult job'
Mr Fitrat alleges that the central government did not assist him in his investigations or provide any help in recovering the bank's assets.
Relations have been frosty between the West and Kabul over the issue of corruption. The case of Kabul Bank was closely followed by the international community and the Afghan people - most were hoping all those involved would be prosecuted.
Resolving the issue is crucial in ensuring aid money continues to flow into Afghanistan. The International Monetary Fund wants the Afghan government to wind down the bank before it releases a new assistance programme.
Billions of dollars in international aid hinge on that programme.
"During [the] last 10 months during the Kabul Bank crisis, I continuously pressed for the creation of a special prosecution, for the creation of a special tribunal to investigate and prosecute those who were involved in Kabul Bank's fraud," he told the BBC.
"I did not receive any information that there is a credible plan to prosecute, to investigate and prosecute these individuals. The high political authorities of the country were responsible [for blocking] these efforts," he alleged.
President Karzai has said Afghanistan lacks the necessary banking experience to oversee the central institution and has blamed foreign advisers for the crisis.
He has also pledged to ensure that those responsible are subject to criminal investigations.
The UK Department for International Development said Mr Fitrat's resignation was "regrettable", and that he had done "a difficult job handling a complex set of challenges".
"It is absolutely critical that the government of Afghanistan chooses a good quality replacement with thorough knowledge of the banking sector," it said in a statement.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has announced the phased withdrawal of its 4,000 soldiers serving in Afghanistan.
A statement said the French would follow the timetable of US withdrawals announced by President Barack Obama.
Mr Obama said 10,000 US troops would pull out this year, with another 23,000 leaving by the end of September 2012.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai welcomed the move, but the Taliban dismissed it as "symbolic" and vowed to continue fighting until all foreign forces left.
At least 68,000 US troops will remain in the country after the 33,000 have been withdrawn, but they are scheduled to leave by 2013, provided that Afghan forces are ready to take over security.
However the US reductions just announced are larger and faster than military commanders had advised.
They told the president that the recent security gains were fragile and reversible, and had urged him to keep troop numbers high until 2013.
Correspondents say the enormous cost of the deployment - currently more than $2bn (£1.25bn) a week - has attracted criticism from Congressional leaders, while the public are weary of a war that seems to have no end and has left at least 1,500 personnel dead and 12,000 wounded.
There have also been changes on the ground, notably the killing in May of al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden by US forces in Pakistan.
Mission change
Mr Sarkozy's announcement came shortly after that of Mr Obama's, and followed a telephone discussion between the two leaders on Wednesday, said the Elysee Palace - the presidential office - in a statement.
This is a moment when President Obama can do what was unthinkable two years ago. He can defy the Pentagon. Early in his presidency it would have been too risky to ignore military advice”
The withdrawal of the approximately 4,000 serving French troops would be progressive and would take place "in a proportional manner and in a timeframe similar to the pullback of the American reinforcements", it said, beginning in the coming months.
The French president "stressed that France shared the American analysis and objectives and that it was happy with President Obama's decision".
Mr Obama's announcement, after a month-long strategy review, outlined the exit of the forces he sent to the country at the end of 2009 as part of a "surge".
In his speech, he said he had set clear objectives for the surge in December 2009 - to refocus on al-Qaeda, to reverse the Taliban's momentum, and train Afghan security forces to defend their own country.
His administration also stated the commitment would not be open-ended and that the withdrawal would begin in July 2011, he added.
"After this initial reduction our troops will continue coming home at a steady pace as Afghan security forces move into the lead. Our mission will change from combat to support."
With this announcement, President Obama has asserted civilian control over the military strategy in Afghanistan. The generals had wanted to keep their combat strength at the same level for this summer and next.
The political realities, including a certain war weariness on the part of the American public, dictated otherwise. Nato commanders believe they have begun to stabilise the south of the country but that some hard fighting remains ahead.
Increasingly that will fall to the Afghan police and army.
President Obama's announcement may also have a big psychological impact. Almost 70,000 US troops will remain but if Afghans think the West is running for the exits, some at least will consider switching sides to the Taliban.
The BBC's Paul Adams in Washington says the speech was all about reassuring the American public that the "tide of war" was receding.
Six thousand Americans have died in Iraq and Afghanistan and $1 trillion has been spent.
The initial withdrawal is expected to happen in two phases, with 5,000 troops coming home in coming months and another 5,000 by the end of the year.
The remainder of the surge reinforcements - 20,000 combat troops and an 3,000 deployed to support the operation - will be out by the end of September 2012, in time for the US presidential election.
Our correspondent says this is a quicker pace than most analysts predicted, and suggests the president does not feel he needs to leave the bulk of the surge force in place for another fighting season.
The second largest contributor to the international force in Afghanistan is the UK, which has more than 10,000 soldiers including special forces.
It has pledged to pull back forces by 2015 - and earlier if conditions allow.
US administration officials told the New York Times that the US military commander in Afghanistan, Gen David Petraeus, had not endorsed Mr Obama's decision. He recommended limiting initial withdrawals and leaving in place as many combat forces for as long as possible, they said.
Outgoing Defence Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reluctantly accepted the reductions, the officials added.
Serious doubts remain about whether Afghan forces will be up to the task.
But President Karzai welcomed Mr Obama's announcement as "a good step for their benefit and the people of Afghanistan".
"I want the people of Afghanistan to be safe in their country with their own capable means," Mr Karzai said.
Security fears
There was a more ambivalent response from senior Afghan security officials who spoke to the BBC.
They stressed that neither the army nor police were yet capable of handling security alone, citing problems of enemy infiltration, drug addiction, and high desertion rates.
An Afghan official with the country's National Security Council said he hoped the withdrawal would take place progressively, and not in one fell swoop.
"We look for a long-term commitment from the United States and the international community, one that will not allow Afghanistan to fall back to the pre-civil war and Taliban days," the official, who did not want to be named, told the BBC.
"We want to remind everyone, history shows that if you turn your [back] on Afghanistan, it will have negative consequences for you."
But a farmer in a volatile district in the north-eastern province of Kundoz told the BBC: "As far as I am concerned, the American forces didn't make a difference to me and my village. So if they leave it won't affect me.
"They supported militias, commanders who kill, rape and loot here. They are hated for that at my village.''
US President Barack Obama is close to a decision on the size of his planned withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and is expected to speak on the issue on Wednesday.
"He's finalising his decision. He's reviewing his options," White House spokesman Jay Carney said.
The US has about 100,000 troops in Afghanistan and Mr Obama has said troop withdrawals will start in July.
But there are deep divisions in the US over the size and speed of the pullout.
News of Mr Obama's deliberations comes a day after departing US Defence Secretary Robert Gates confirmed that the US was holding "outreach" talks with members of the Taliban in Afghanistan.
It was the first time the US had acknowledged such contact.
'Gains could be threatened'
Mr Obama is expected to make a public speech on Afghanistan on Wednesday, unnamed senior White House officials told US media.
US military leaders are thought to favour a very gradual reduction in troops but other advisers advocate a more significant decrease in the coming months.
Attention is expected to focus on how many troops will leave Afghanistan in July, but analysts say Mr Obama's plans for the future of the 30,000 surge forces he sent in 2009 in the country will also be closely scrutinised.
Earlier this month, Mr Gates said at Nato headquarters that "substantial progress" was being made on the ground in Afghanistan.
But he argued that "these gains could be threatened if we do not proceed with the transition to Afghan security lead in a deliberate, organised and co-ordinated manner".
"Even as the United States begins to draw down in the next month, I assured my fellow ministers there will be no rush to the exits on our part."
But some believe security gains mean a more rapid withdrawal of US forces is practical.
'Costs outweigh benefits'
There is also growing political pressure for a significant withdrawal.
A bipartisan group of 27 US senators sent Mr Obama a letter last week pressing for a shift in strategy.
"Given our successes, it is the right moment to initiate a sizable and sustained reduction in forces, with the goal of steadily redeploying all regular combat troops," the senators wrote. "The costs of prolonging the war far outweigh the benefits."
While many Afghans accept that American troops are needed to defeat the Taliban, correspondents say that they resent their presence in the country.
The war is in its 10th year, civilian casualties are at an all-time high, and correspondents say the population has grown weary of the fighting. Insurgents are to blame for most of the deaths, but killings by foreign troops generate widespread outrage.
The US is due to start withdrawing its 97,000 troops from Afghanistan in July.
It aims to gradually hand over all security operations to Afghan security forces by 2014.
By Sunita Kureishi, BBC News, for the BBC's Biodun Iginla
KABUL | Sun Jan 23, 2011 11:40am EST
- Afghan President Hamid Karzai has abandoned plans to delay the opening of parliament by a month, bowing to domestic and international pressure. He has now set the inauguration for January 26.
Here are some questions and answers on what went wrong with Afghanistan's parliamentary election:
HOW DID THE ELECTION GO?
The election for the 249-seat lower house got off to a bad start. Originally set for May, it was delayed until September after international donors funding it demanded reforms to avoid a repetition of the fraud-marred presidential poll in 2009.
At least 17 people were killed on election day September 18 and poor security in some areas meant more than a fifth of polling stations stayed closed. Turnout was also low.
The Independent Election Commission (IEC) which ran the poll announced preliminary results on October 20, almost two weeks late, after delays to allow more time for fraud checks. It said it had disqualified nearly a quarter of all votes -- 1.3 million -- for various reasons, including fraud and intimidation.
Final results for all 34 provinces were eventually announced on December 1 after several more delays.
HOW DID FRAUD COMPLAINTS DELAY THE INAUGURATION?
The U.N.-backed Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) said it received more than 6,000 formal complaints, a third of which could have affected the final outcome. They included intimidation, violence and polling irregularities. As a result, the ECC disqualified 21 successful candidates, almost one in 10.
Allegations of fraud were also made against the IEC itself, including senior members in the commission. The election chief in the eastern province of Khost was arrested for fraud.
Street protests by disgruntled candidates calling for the election to be annulled followed in Kabul and other parts of the country. The IEC, however, ruled out a re-run or a recount.
In December, the attorney-general's office asked the Supreme Court to cancel the results of the election, resulting in a swift rebuke from the IEC and the U.N.-backed watchdog.
Political analysts say Karzai, who appointed the attorney-general and was not happy with the results, was behind the move.
About 100 new MPs denounced the attorney-general's calls as unconstitutional and demanded Karzai open parliament by December 19. Karzai then promised an inauguration in late January.
On December 27, however, he issued a decree forming a special court to deal with complaints by disgruntled candidates. Then on Wednesday, he ordered a one-month delay in the inauguration after the tribunal asked for more time to look into fraud.
U.S. Strikes Deal With Tribe in Taliban Bastion Topic: afghanistan, bbc news, the econo
by Nasra Ismail and Biodun Iginla, BBC News
KABUL, Afghanistan — The leaders of the largest tribe in a Taliban stronghold in southern Helmand province have pledged to halt insurgent attacks and expel foreign fighters from one of the most violent spots in the country, the senior U.S. Marine general in Afghanistan said Monday.
Marine Maj. Gen. Richard Mills, who commands coalition forces in the southwest, said the deal was struck between local elders in the Sangin district and Helmand Governor Gulabuddin Mangal with the consultation of coalition forces. The area has witnessed some of the heaviest fighting of the war
BREAKING NEWS ALERT: U.S. Seeks to Expand Ground Raids Into Pakistan Against Militants Topic: afghanistan, bbc news, the econo
by Biodun Iginla, BBC News
Senior American military commanders in Afghanistan are pushing for an expanded campaign of Special Operations ground raids across the border into Pakistan's tribal areas, a risky strategy reflecting the growing frustration with Pakistan's efforts to root out militants there.
The proposal, described by American officials in Washington and Afghanistan, would escalate military activities inside Pakistan, where the movement of American forces has been largely prohibited because of fears of provoking a backlash.
The plan has not yet been approved, but military and political leaders say a renewed sense of urgency has taken hold, as the deadline approaches for the Obama administration to begin withdrawing its forces from Afghanistan.
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