A car bomb killed at least six people and wounded 16 outside a mosque in eastern Afghanistan today.
The blast took place in the city of Jalalabad where thousands of people, including the governor of Ningarhar, Gul Afgha Sherzai, were gathered in front of the mosque. The governor escaped unhurt.
The people had gathered in the mosque to attend a prayer ceremony for a mujahideen commander who died last week.
The car followed Mr Sherzai's convoy as he was returning after the ceremony. His four guards and two men in the car in police uniforms were killed in the blast.
It was not clear whether it was suicide attack or the car bomb was triggered remotely.
There was no immediate comment from the Taliban who have stepped up attacks against the Afghan government and foreign forces in recent months, mostly in southern and eastern Afghanistan.
Afghanistan is going through its bloodiest phase of violence since the overthrow of the Taliban government in 2001, with most attacks occurring in the south.