Afghan peace council official killed in south

An Afghan official says insurgents used a bomb and small arms fire to kill a representative of a government peace council tasked with finding ways to begin talks with the Taliban to end the nearly 12-year-old war.
Omaer Zawak, a spokesman for the governor of Helmand, said the attack that killed Malim Shah Wali Kahn today also wounded the province's deputy governor. A bodyguard also died and four others were wounded.
He said insurgents first detonated a bomb next to Khan's car and then attacked with assault rifles.
The British Ministry of Defense today also said three of its soldiers were killed in Helmand by a roadside bomb. NATO had announced the deaths yesterday but had not identified the nationalities of the soldiers.