A suicide blast in southern Afghanistan has killed a parliamentary candidate along with nine supporters, a day after the Taliban insurgent group announced it would disrupt the upcoming national elections with violent attacks.
An official said the bomber targeted a campaign office in Lashkargah, capital of the southern Helmand province. Provincial police spokesman Abdul Salam Afghan told VOA that the blast wounded at least 15 people. He identified the slain candidate as Saleh Mohammad Achakzai, who was contesting a seat in the lower house of parliament, the Wolesi Jirga.
Witnesses expect the number of casualties to rise because the campaign office was crowed at the time of the attack.
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