Afghan president express regret over Mandela's death

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has expressed deep grief over the passing of former South African President Nelson Mandela, according to a statement posted in the country's Presidential Palace on Saturday. "President Hamid Karzai was deeply saddened when he heard that Nelson Mandela passed away. He called his death a great loss to South Africans and to the whole of humanity. The president offers his heartfelt condolences to the family, relatives and the entire South African nation," the statement reads. The statement also said that the Afghan leader also delivered a video message on Mandela's death which reads "Nelson Mandela has passed away, an icon of our time, for man's dignity, equality and freedom, a selfless human being, who struggled not only for the black South Africans against Apartheid, but for the dignity of all of us. History will throw a very kind light on him. Mandela deserves it." Mandela passed away Thursday night at the age of 95 in his home in Johannesburg following a prolonged battle with a lung infection.