The death toll has risen to 22, while 36 others were wounded, in a bomb blast, on an election gathering organised by a female candidate, Nazifa Big Yusufi, in the northern province of Takhar, a provincial government spokesman said today.
"The latest figures by provincial authorities indicated that, 22 people were killed and 36 others wounded in Saturday's bomb blast in Rustaq district of Takhar province," Mohammad Jawad Hejri told Xinhua.
The initial information, by the provincial police department, also showed that, the blast was not a suicide bombing but the explosion occurred after an improvised explosive devices (IED's) attached to a motorcycle, was detonated by a time device, he said.
The long-delayed parliamentary and district council elections are expected to be held on Oct 20.
More than 2,500 candidates from 33 out of 34 provinces, excluding Ghazni, will stand for the parliament's 249 seats.
Nearly nine million registered voters, including three million women, will cast their ballots, to elect the lawmakers for a five-year term, while they will also vote to elect members of the district councils.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.
Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK