Afghans began three days of national mourning today for 41 people, many of them children, killed in the country's worst suicide attack.
The attack, in the relatively peaceful north of the country has shaken public confidence in the Afghan government's ability to quell the Taliban despite the presence of 50,000 foreign troops in the country.
The Taliban were ousted six years ago but have rallied in the past two years and have carried out more than 130 suicide attacks in Afghanistan this year.
However, the Muslim fundamentalist group denied responsibility for yesterday's attack on a group of visiting parliamentarians as they were being greeted by schoolchildren.
Some 81 people were also injured in the attack in which bomber approached the parliamentary delegation on foot as schoolchildren lined up to welcome them on a visit to a sugar factory in Baghlan.
Large crowds had also turned out to greet the deputies, five of whom were killed in the bombing.