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Afghan leader says US guards killed police chief

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-06-29 20:15

President Hamid Karzai says Afghan guards working for the U.S. coalition at a base in Kandahar city killed the province's police chief.

A US Marine from 2nd platoon, F company, 5th batalion, 10th Marines, meets an Afghan villager during a patrol in southern Afghanistan June 28, 2009. [Agencies]

Karzai is demanding that the coalition hand over the guards to Afghan authorities.

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Officials say the police chief, Matiullah Qati, was among 10 officers killed in a gunbattle outside the attorney general's office in Kandahar.

A U.S. military spokeswoman says the Afghan force that killed the officials was trying to free men in government custody.

Karzai's demands could be the first major test for newly arrived Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who commands all U.S. and NATO forces in the country.