Suicide bomb kills at least 25

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KABUL, Afghanistan, Sept. 5 (UPI) -- A suicide bomber targeted a funeral gathering in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province, killing at least 25 people, officials said.

Local elders, however, said those killed in the Tuesday afternoon attack in Durbaba district numbered 35 or more, The New York Times reported.

At least 30 more people were injured in the attack and they included district Gov. Hamesha Gul, the BBC reported, quoting police.

The funeral was for a prominent businessman in the district, which has a large population of a tribe which has been involved in conflict with the Taliban, the Times said. Tribal leader Malik Usman told the newspaper Gul may have been the intended victim and that his 26-year-old son was among those killed in the blast.

Provincial governor's spokesman Amad Zia Abdulzay said 25 people died in the attack and 30 more were wounded, the Times said.

Afghanistan's Interior Ministry condemned the attack and blamed it on the Taliban.

Tribal elders told the BBC the attack might have been a reprisal to a recent attack by the local people against the Taliban.

One witness told the BBC the attacker was walking among the mourners.

"He was recognized by the brother of the district governor of Dur Baba," the witness said. "But as soon as he tried to arrest him, the attacker detonated his suicide vest."

However, Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid, speaking on telephone, denied involvement by his group while saying the Taliban has a strong presence in the area, the Times reported.

"What we think, based on our investigations, is that it could be an attack based on personal or tribal disputes," he was quoted as saying.

It was the latest of many such attacks on Afghan civilians, CNN said.

The report cited a recent U.N. report that said while violence against Afghan civilians declined in the first half of this year, such acts continue to a "devastating toll," noting about 80 percent of the attacks against civilians are by anti-government forces.