A suicide bomber has killed at least 25 civilians and wounded another 30 at a funeral for a village elder in a remote part of eastern Afghanistan, Afghan officials say. Ahmad Zia Abdul Zai, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said the attack took place on Tuesday in the village of Shagai in the Durbaba district of eastern Nangarhar province. He and other officials said at least 25 people were killed. Initial reports had at least 10 civilians killed. Zai and police later said more than a dozen people died of their injuries. There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but there has been fighting against Taliban and other insurgents in the mountainous region located just across the border from some of Pakistan's lawless tribal areas. Latifullah, the police chief's secretary who goes by one name, said the target was apparently Durbaba district chief Hamisha Gul, who was attending the funeral for the village chief and ranking elder. Gul survived the attack, said deputy police chief for Nangarhar province, Jamil Shamal, but his son was killed when he tried to stop the bomber by grabbing him.
