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A suicide bomber killed at least 16 people Thursday and wounded 40 others, including a prominent lawmaker, at an anti-corruption rally in eastern Afghanistan, the latest casualties ahead of the Taliban's expected spring offensive.

The attack comes just a week after Washington announced it would not be halving the 9,800 US troops still in Afghanistan by the end of the year, backpedalling on previous plans.

The Taliban, waging a deadly insurgency since they were ousted from power in late 2001, warned that the US troop announcement would damage any prospects of peace talks as they vowed to continue fighting.

Thursday's attack targeted an anti-graft demonstration outside the residence of the acting governor of restive Khost province, sending terrified, blood-soaked victims fleeing for cover.

Severed limbs and body parts lay strewn around the area after the powerful blast, according to an AFP reporter at the scene.

The area was cordoned off by security officials as yellow-helmeted firefighters used water hoses to douse the smouldering scene of the explosion.

"Today morning, a suicide attack was carried out by the enemies of peace and stability of Afghanistan at a rally in the city of Khost, in which 16 people were martyred, and 40 others were wounded," said Abduljabar Naeemi, the acting governor of Khost province, which borders Pakistan.

Humayoun Humayoun, a well-known MP from Khost province, was among those wounded, Naeemi added in his statement.

The interior ministry in Kabul said 17 civilians were killed and 37 others were wounded in the explosion, adding that it "strongly condemns the terrorist attack".

- 'Cowardly attack' -

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Suicide blast kills at least 16 in east Afghanistan

A suicide bombing outside the residence of an Afghanistan governor killed at least 20 people on Thursday, police and hospital officials said.At least 36 other people were also wounded in the attack, which struck the gathering in the eastern Khost province.

The people had gathered to protest against acting Governor Abduljabar Naeemi, who has been accused of rampant corruption and land theft, Al Jazeera reported.Members of Khosts provincial council hadallegedthat Naeemi had a role in blocking projects from the central government. They had also called on President Ashraf Ghani to remove him and other corrupt officials.

The latest incident took place after nearly a week of protests outside the governor's house.

Hedayat Hamidi,local health director,told the Associated Press (AP) that hospitals in the area had received at least 60 wounded, "among them civilians and members of the security forces." A local lawmaker was also reportedly wounded.

The protests were slammed by local officials as illegal and disruptive.

These illegal armed individuals are not only creating problems for government officials, but also disrupting traffic in the city, Mujahideen Unity Council regional head Maulvi Sardar Mohammad told local news site Pajhwok last week, calling on authorities to disband the protests.

The Khost region lies along the border with Pakistan, and the Taliban reportedly have an entrenched powerful presence there.The Taliban denied responsibility for the attack,accordingto Agence France-Presse, and no other group appears to have taken responsibility so far. In recent months, hundreds of thousands of people have crossed the border into Afghanistan fleeing an offensive from the Pakistani army, AP reported.

The number of civilian deaths in Afghanistan surged sharply, rising 22 percent in 2014 compared to a year ago, largely as a result of intensifying ground battles between government and insurgent forces.

Local militias are also responsible for the increasing violence. They remain highly controversial and have been accused of major human rights violations. Ghani had vowed to disband the armed groups.

U.S. President Barack Obama last week quashed a decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan this year.

Excerpt from:
Afghanistan Suicide Bombing Kills At Least 20 During Anti-Corruption Protest

A suicide bomber killed at least 16 people Thursday and wounded 40 others, including a prominent lawmaker, at an anti-corruption rally in eastern Afghanistan, the latest casualties ahead of the Taliban's expected spring offensive.

The attack comes just a week after Washington announced it would not be halving the 9,800 US troops still in Afghanistan by the end of the year, backpedalling on previous plans.

The Taliban, waging a deadly insurgency since they were ousted from power in late 2001, warned that the US troop announcement would damage any prospects of peace talks as they vowed to continue fighting.

Thursday's attack targeted an anti-graft demonstration outside the residence of the acting governor of restive Khost province, sending terrified, blood-soaked victims fleeing for cover.

Severed limbs and body parts lay strewn around the area after the powerful blast, according to an AFP reporter at the scene.

The area was cordoned off by security officials as yellow-helmeted firefighters used water hoses to douse the smouldering scene of the explosion.

"Today morning, a suicide attack was carried out by the enemies of peace and stability of Afghanistan at a rally in the city of Khost, in which 16 people were martyred, and 40 others were wounded," said Abduljabar Naeemi, the acting governor of Khost province, which borders Pakistan.

Humayoun Humayoun, a well-known MP from Khost province, was among those wounded, Naeemi added in his statement.

The interior ministry in Kabul said 17 civilians were killed and 37 others were wounded in the explosion, adding that it "strongly condemns the terrorist attack".

- 'Cowardly attack' -

Read the rest here:
Afghan suicide blast kills 16, wounds dozens

A suicide bomber killed at least 16 people Thursday and wounded 40 others, including a prominent lawmaker, at an anti-corruption rally in eastern Afghanistan, the latest casualties ahead of the Taliban's expected spring offensive.

The attack comes just a week after Washington announced it would not be halving the 9,800 US troops still in Afghanistan by the end of the year, backpedalling on previous plans.

The Taliban, waging a deadly insurgency since they were ousted from power in late 2001, warned that the US troop announcement would damage any prospects of peace talks as they vowed to continue fighting.

Thursday's attack targeted an anti-graft demonstration outside the residence of the acting governor of restive Khost province, sending terrified, blood-soaked victims fleeing for cover.

Severed limbs and body parts lay strewn around the area after the powerful blast, according to an AFP reporter at the scene.

The area was cordoned off by security officials as yellow-helmeted firefighters used water hoses to douse the smouldering scene of the explosion.

"Today morning, a suicide attack was carried out by the enemies of peace and stability of Afghanistan at a rally in the city of Khost, in which 16 people were martyred, and 40 others were wounded," said Abduljabar Naeemi, the acting governor of Khost province, which borders Pakistan.

Humayoun Humayoun, a well-known MP from Khost province, was among those wounded, Naeemi added in his statement.

The interior ministry in Kabul said 17 civilians were killed and 37 others were wounded in the explosion, adding that it "strongly condemns the terrorist attack".

- 'Cowardly attack' -

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Suicide blast kills at least 13 in east Afghanistan: officials

Khost, Afghanistan: A suicide bomber today killed at least 16 people and wounded around 40 others, including a prominent Afghan lawmaker, in an attack on an anti-corruption protest outside the residence of the governor of restive Khost province, officials said.

The attack comes just a week after Washington announced it would not be halving the 9,800 US troops still in Afghanistan by the end of the year, backpedalling on previous plans.

"Today morning, a suicide attack was carried out by the enemies of peace and stability of Afghanistan at a rally in the city of Khost, in which 16 people were martyred, and 40 others were wounded," said Abduljabar Naeemi, the acting governor of eastern Khost province, which borders Pakistan.

Humayoun Humayoun, a well-known MP from Khost province, was wounded in the explosion, he added in his statement.

The interior ministry in Kabul said 17 civilians were killed and 37 others were wounded in the explosion, adding that it "strongly condemns the terrorist attack".

Protesters accusing Naeemi of rampant corruption and land grabbing have staged demonstrations outside his residence for nearly a week.

The Taliban denied responsibility for the blast, spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on the group's official Twitter account, but suicide bombings have long been a weapon of choice for the militants in their 13-year battle against US-backed foreign forces.

The bombs often target Afghan security forces, but they have also taken a heavy toll on civilians.

The number of civilians killed and wounded in Afghanistan jumped 22 per cent in 2014, a recent UN report said, as NATO troops withdrew from combat.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan attributed the rise to an intensification in ground fighting, resulting in a total of 10,548 civilian casualties last year.

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At Least 16 Killed in East Afghanistan Suicide Blast, Say Officials