Al-Qaida fighters suspected of killing Afghan official

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/terrorism/s_172031.html

Suspected al-Qaida fighters ambushed Afghan security forces near the Pakistani border Saturday, and U.S. forces were drawn into the deadly gunbattle that ensued, a local commander said.

A senior Afghan intelligence official and six attackers were killed at the scene in eastern Khost province, said Khial Baz, a military commander in Khost.

The Afghan officials were traveling in a pickup truck when they came under fire. The province's deputy intelligence chief was killed instantly and his boss, Qudratullah Madezai, was seriously hurt, Baz said by satellite telephone.

The rest of the passengers opened fire along with U.S. reinforcements killing six attackers.