Essa Khan

An Afghan soldier hailed as a hero for defending parliament from a Taliban assault has been arrested after a fatal traffic accident in Kabul involving a car he had been given as a reward, the Ministry of Interior said on Thursday.

He is called a superhero and feted with financial rewards from Afghan politicians, but the lionisation of the soldier who singlehandedly killed six attackers in parliament belies bubbling discontent over deteriorating security.

Essa Khan was just another Afghan soldier, until he was lionized by the media for shooting dead several Taliban gunmen who tried to storm the country's parliament which was in full session at the time.

An Afghan soldier hailed as a hero for defending parliament from a Taliban assault has been arrested after a fatal traffic accident in Kabul involving a car he had been given as a reward, the Ministry of Interior said on Thursday.

He is called a superhero and feted with financial rewards from Afghan politicians, but the lionisation of the soldier who singlehandedly killed six attackers in parliament belies bubbling discontent over deteriorating security.

Essa Khan was just another Afghan soldier, until he was lionized by the media for shooting dead several Taliban gunmen who tried to storm the country's parliament which was in full session at the time.