Suicide blast decimates Afghan gathering

KABUL, Afghanistan, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- A bomber hurled himself at a delegation of lawmakers Tuesday in a northern Afghan city, killing at least 40 people and injuring scores more, it was reported.

The dead included at least five members of Parliament preparing to visit a sugar factory in New Baghlan and local residents, including children, who had come out to greet them, the Voice of America reported.

Former Commerce Minister Sayed Mustafa Kazemi was among the dead, The New York Times reported.

"The government of Afghanistan is strongly condemning this inhuman, un-Afghan and un-Islamic act," said Humayun Hamidzada, a spokesman for Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

Member of Parliament Shukria Barikzai urged the government to go after terrorists carrying out such suicide attacks.

"It is not an Islamic tradition, it is really an anti-Islamic issue right now in Afghanistan," Shukria said. "We are really asking our government to be strong and to be more strong and particularly for the people of Afghanistan this is our voice, please try to be a responsible nation, do not allow terrorists to come and don't become a victim of their extremist ideology any more."