The bomb was detonated as the attacker hugged Rabbani - head of Afghanistan's High Peace Council established last year by President Hamid Karzai - in greeting. Karzai insisted the peace process in Afghanistan would not be derailed by the death, the most high-profile political assassination since the 2001 US-led invasion ousted the Taliban from power.
The High Peace Council has made little clear progress towards peace talks with the Taliban and Rabbani's assassination appears to have dealt a serious blow to its chances of doing so anytime soon. But Karzai insisted efforts would continue, adding: "This will not deter us from continuing down the path we have started." President Barack Obama said Afghans must be allowed to live "in freedom, safety, security and prosperity" while Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen added those behind the killing "will not prevail."
The attackers arrived at Rabbani's house with Mohammad Massom Stanikzai, one of Rabbani's deputies, for a meeting before the turban bomber detonated his explosives, according to one source amid conflicting reports of who brought the bombers into Rabbani's heavily guarded house. Kabul criminal investigations chief Mohammad Zaher said two men "negotiating with Rabbani on behalf of the Taliban" arrived at his house, one with explosives hidden in his turban.
"He approached Rabbani and detonated his explosives. Rabbani was martyred and four others including Massom Stanikzai (his deputy) were injured." A member of the High Peace Council, Fazel Karim Aymaq, said the men claimed to have come with "special messages" from the Taliban and were thought to be "very trusted." "One of them put his head on the shoulder of Rabbani and detonated the explosives hidden in his turban, martyring Rabbani," Aymaq added.