Afghan officials say at least 13 people have been killed and 14 injured in a suicide attack at the home of a local politician in the eastern city of Jalalabad, the capital of increasingly volatile Nangarhar Province.
A government spokesman said the attacker detonated his explosives in the morning on January 17 at the house of Obaidullah Shinwari when many people were gathered there to celebrate his brother's release from Taliban captivity.
Shinwari's father was among those wounded in the attack, said Ataullah Khogyani, spokesman for the Nangarhar provincial government.
Shinwari escaped unharmed.
Khogyani initially said Shinwari's brother, Saminullah, was also killed, but later retracted, saying he was injured in the blast.
Khogyani said, "the number of casualties is likely to increase because there were so many people there."
There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid on his Twitter page denied responsibility for the attack.
Shinwari is a member of Nangarhar's provincial council and his family is said to be active in local and national politics.
Shinwari's house is close to the Pakistani consulate, targeted last week in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group.
Based on reporting by AP, Reuters, AFP, and tolonews.com
