KABUL, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Taliban militants fighting Afghan government on Sunday shot dead a former Jihadi commander and pro-government figure in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province, provincial police chief Mohammad Hussain Andiwal said.

    "Anti-government militia gunned down a former commander Hajji Abdul Kabir in the outskirt of Lashkargah, the capital of Helmand province, this morning," Andiwal told Xinhua.

    He also added that the late Kabir had not worked for any of government entity and just supported it.

    Meantime, Qari Yusuf Ahmadi who claims to speak for the Taliban insurgents in talks with media from unknown locations claimed responsibility and added that militants punished Kabir for supporting government and foreign troops based in the country.