Taliban militants kill Afghan candidate for provincial council

KABUL, June 4 -- Police in central Afghan province of Wardak on Thursday found the dead body of a provincial council candidate, who was kidnapped by militants last week, provincial police chief of Ghazni province said.

"Yeiya Mulaye Azhar, who has signed up for competing provincial election, was killed on Wednesday night and police found his body in Sayed Abad district of Wardak province on Thursday," Khil Baz Shirza told Xinhua.

Azhar has not been working for government, Shirza added.

The police chief blamed the enemy of Afghanistan, a term used by Afghan officials for Taliban insurgents, for the incident.

The second presidential and provincial election in post-Taliban Afghanistan is set on August 20 this year while Taliban militants have warned Afghans to boycott the election.