Election candidate among 8 killed in Afghan suicide bombing

A candidate for the upcoming parliamentary elections in Afghanistan and seven other people were killed on Tuesday in a suicide bombing in Lashkar Gah city, officials said.

Eleven others were wounded in the attack which took place in the afternoon when candidate Saleh Muhammad Achakzai and some of his supporters were holding a gathering inside his campaign office.

"Eight civilians including the candidate himself were martyred and another 11 of the supporters were injured," Omar Zwak, a provincial government spokesman, told Efe news.

The suicide bomber was on foot and had a suicide vest under his clothes when he entered Achakzai's campaign office, the spokesperson said.

No group claimed responsibility for the attack. Officials said that the number of casualties were likely to rise and an investigation was ongoing into the incident.

The violence has been on the rise as Afghan security forces struggle against a surge in attacks by militants at the time when the country is preparing for parliamentary and district councils elections slated for October 20.

During the elections, nearly 9 million registered voters, including 3 million women, will cast their ballots to elect members of the 249-seat lower house of Parliament for a five-year term. They will also vote to elect members of the district councils.

--IANS

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