Casualties feared as blast rocks Afghan eastern Jalalabad city

JALALABAD, Afghanistan - Over a dozen people were killed and injured as a blast, presumably a suicide attack rocked Jalalabad city, the capital of eastern Nangarhar province on Sunday, an official said on the condition of anonymity.

The official who declined to be named told Xinhua that the blast, "obviously a suicide bombing", hit Mukhabirat square on Sunday afternoon, killing at least "four people and injuring 10 others."

The victims have been taken to a hospital, he added. Officials have yet to make a comment.

The blast rocked Jalalabad city while Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf was there to hold a meeting with provincial officials, elders and chieftains.

They were discussing ways and means on how to bolster the government-initiated peace process to encourage the Taliban outfit to initiate dialogue with the government to end the country's lingering crisis.