250 Soldiers detained after Afghan minister's killing

KABUL, March 25 (Reuters) - Provincial forces in the troubled Afghan city of Herat detained 250 members of a pro-government military division after the weekend killing of the son of the powerful provincial governor, officials said on Thursday.

"Several of these people, but I don't know how many, have confessed to being involved in the killing," Herat's deputy intelligence chief, Abdul Wahid Tawakuli, told Reuters.

"I came across one person and he said 'I was involved in it'."

Fierce fighting broke out in Herat on Sunday after the killing of the federal aviation minister, Mirwais Sadiq, who was the eldest son of the provincial governor, Ismail Khan.

The intelligence official said the 250 militiamen being detained were supporters of the government military commander in the city, Zahir Nayebzada, who fled the fighting on Sunday night.

more