Afghanistan suicide bomb: Two killed

Kabul: At least two people were killed and 20 others injured in a suicide attack that rocked a funeral ceremony in Afghanistan's eastern province of Laghman Thursday, a security source said.

"A funeral service was under way for a police officer named Sayyeda Jan, who was killed along with three members of his family earlier Thursday morning. The blast killed two people and wounded 20 others," the source told Xinhua news agency.

The attack took place at around 3.30 p.m. in Pahlawan Baba in the provincial capital of Mehtarlam.

"The bomber was also killed on the spot and security forces detained a would-be suicide bomber at the scene shortly after the blast. He is in security forces' custody now," the source added.

Unofficial sources claimed that seven people were killed, and that a senior provincial criminal investigation department police official was among the dead.

The toll may rise as some wounded remained in critical condition, the source added.

No group has claimed responsibility yet for the attack, but the Taliban insurgent group routinely claims responsibility for such attacks.

The Taliban has been waging an insurgency since its regime was toppled by a US-led invasion in late 2001.

The militant group has intensified an offensive with a string of bombings and attacks over the past couple of months as the Afghan National Security Forces assumed the full security responsibility from NATO-led troops after a four-year security transition process ended Dec 31.