Suicide bomber kills 13 in Afghan election rally

KABUL, Oct 02 (AP): An Afghan official says a suicide bomber has struck an election rally in the country's eastern Nangarhar province, killing at least 13 people and wounding more than 30.
Attahullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor, says some of the wounded are in critical condition, which increases concerns that the death toll could rise further.
The attack took place in the province's Kama district on Tuesday afternoon where supporters of Abdul Naser Mohmand had gathered to back his campaign as an independent candidate in Afghanistan's parliamentary elections scheduled for Oct. 20.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack in Nangarhar, where both the Taliban and an Islamic State affiliate are active.
A Xinhua report adds: About 240 Afghan civilians were killed and 350 others injured in clashes and terrorist attacks in September, a monitor group reported Tuesday.
"The massive civilian casualties occurred in 20 of the country's 34 provinces in September, at least 240 people were martyred and more than 350 others wounded," the independent Civilian Protection Advocacy Group (CPAG) said in a press release.
In one incident, on Sept. 11, at least 68 people were killed and 165 others wounded when a suicide bomber targeted a protest rally in Muhmand Dara district of eastern Nangarhar province.
The group said that despite targeted killings and attacks, most casualties were inflicted on civilians as a result of air-and-ground operations of security forces which have raised the concerns of the people.