The head of Kabul Ulema Council, Mawlawi Abdul Basir Haqqani, was assassinated by unknown armed men in Chehel Sutun area in Kabul’s PD7 at around 2pm on Saturday, Kabul police confirmed.

Haqqani was found dead on a road in Chehel Sutun area this afternoon. Some eyewitnesses said he was shot in his head.

The head of Kabul police media office, Basir Mujahid, confirmed the incident and said the perpetrator has been arrested by the police following the incident.

This comes after almost 50 people were killed in suicide attack at a gathering of religious scholars in Kabul last week on Tuesday.