Afghan provincial governor, 12 others killed in suicide attack: official

Mohammad Omar, governor of northern Afghanistan's Kunduz province, and 12 others were killed in a suicide attack Friday, a governmental official told Xinhua.

Faiz Touhidi, spokesman for Takhar's provincial administration, told Xinhua via telephone that the Kunduz governor was killed at a mosque in Taloqan, capital city of Takhar province.

The attacker was also killed and 13 injured people were sent to hospital for treatment.

Abdul Jabar Taqur, governor of Tkhar, told Xinhua minutes ago that it was a mine blast and some 20 people were killed and injured in the blast.

Taqur blamed anti-government militants for the incident but so far no one has claimed responsibility.

The killed Kunduz governor has a house in Taloqan city and Friday is Afghanistan's national weekly off day.

Kunduz province has been seeing increase of Taliban violence recently while it could not be confirmed at this stage that Friday 's attack was targeted on the Kunduz governor.

Source: Xinhua