Suicide attack on Afghan election rally kills 13

At least 13 people were killed in a suicide attack on an Afghan election campaign rally on Tuesday, officials said, in the latest violence ahead of this month's legislative vote.

The attack is the first suicide assault since campaigning officially kicked off last Friday for the parliamentary elections, preparations for which have already been marred by bloody violence.

More than 40 people were wounded when the militant blew himself up among supporters of candidate Abdul Nasir Mohmmand in the Kama district of the eastern province of Nangarhar, provincial governor spokesman Ataullah Khogyani said.

Mohmmand was alive, Khogyani confirmed, but he did not say if the candidate had been hurt in the blast. Provincial health director Najibullah Kamawal put the death toll slightly higher at 14. No group immediately claimed the attack. Violence has plagued the run-up to the parliamentary vote, which is scheduled for October 20 - more than three years after it was supposed to be held.

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