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Many dead in Afghan suicide blast Many dead in Afghan suicide blast
(about 1 hour later)
A suicide blast in eastern Afghanistan has killed 15 local people and wounded 14 others, the Nato-led force says. A suicide bomber has killed at least 15 people and wounded 14 others in eastern Afghanistan, Nato says.
The explosion took place in Khogyani district in the province of Nangarhar. The explosion took place in Nangarhar province close to Pakistan. Nato says Afghan troops are among the casualties.
There were international troops in the area at the time of the attack but they were not hit, Nato says. There were international soldiers in the area at the time of the attack but they were not hurt, the alliance says.
Taleban rebels, who have been fighting foreign and Afghan troops in the south and east since they were overthrown in 2001, have claimed responsibility. The Taleban, who have been fighting foreign and Afghan troops since they were overthrown in 2001, said they carried out the attack.
The BBC's Alastair Leithead in Kabul says there has already been a significant increase in the number of attacks in eastern Afghanistan in the first few months of this year compared with 2007.
'Confusion''Confusion'
Tuesday's blast occurred in Khogyani district south of the city of Jalalabad.
Reports said officials and villagers were attending an anti-drugs meeting when the bomber struck.
"Insurgents engaged with small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades," Major Martin O'Donnell, a spokesman for the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf), told the French news agency AFP."Insurgents engaged with small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades," Major Martin O'Donnell, a spokesman for the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf), told the French news agency AFP.
Attacks in the east are on the rise
"It appears that when that happened, people went for cover. They [the attackers] snuck a suicide bomber in the midst of the confusion.""It appears that when that happened, people went for cover. They [the attackers] snuck a suicide bomber in the midst of the confusion."
Major O'Donnell said Isaf soldiers were in the area, but it is not yet clear if they were the target of the attack. An Isaf statement said a number of Afghan troops were among those killed and wounded.
He said no Isaf soldiers were wounded in the attack and that all the casualties were locals. Other reports from local officials said an even higher number of people had been injured. One man who witnessed the attack said he had seen a young boy carrying white papers approach the crowd.
An Isaf statement said a number of Afghan troops had also been killed and wounded. "All of a sudden I saw a big, red flame from among the crowd where the boy was standing and a big explosion followed," the man told AFP.
"People were running and some were screaming. I don't remember much."
Major O'Donnell said Isaf soldiers were in the area but it was not yet clear if they were the target of the attack.
He said no Isaf soldiers were wounded. Other reports from local officials said an even higher number of people had been injured.
A Taleban spokesman said the movement had carried out the attack.A Taleban spokesman said the movement had carried out the attack.
"We claim responsibility for the blast in Khogyani," the man, who identified himself as Qari Sajad, was quoted by AFP as saying."We claim responsibility for the blast in Khogyani," the man, who identified himself as Qari Sajad, was quoted by AFP as saying.
"It was a suicide attack carried out by one of our friends named Abdullah.""It was a suicide attack carried out by one of our friends named Abdullah."
The BBC's Alastair Leithead in Kabul says there has already been a significant increase in the number of attacks in eastern Afghanistan in the first few months of this year compared to 2007. The Taleban launched scores of suicide attacks and other bombings last year. Most of those killed were civilians.