Afghanistan's Karzai sacks convicted Kabul mayor

Mir Abdul Ahad Sahebi was convicted in a primary court in early December and sentenced to four years in prison on charges linked to corruption. He was released on bail pending appeal and swiftly returned to work.

Karzai had previously defended Sahebi, calling him "a clean person" and ordering an investigation into the charges against him.

"The former mayor Mr. Sahebi has been fired," a presidential spokesman, Siamak Herawi, told AFP.

"The president has appointed a new mayor for Kabul. The new mayor is Mohammad Younus Nawhandish, he is a civil engineer," the spokesman said.

Herawi said, however, that the dismissal was not linked to the conviction.