At least 25 people were killed today and another 30 wounded in a suicide bombing against the funeral of a tribal elder in Shagai, a small village in Nangarhar Province. The attacker had a suicide vest and was able to blend in with mourners.
The target for the attack was District Chief Hamisha Gul, who was attending the funeral. He survived but police say that his son was killed when he tried to tackle the bomber and his brother was killed as well. Most of the victims were random civilian bystanders.
So far no group has claimed credit for the attack, but it would not be the first time the Taliban has sought to attack government officials by way of a funeral. Gul’s brother apparently recognized the man and called out to stop him before he detonated the bomb.
Local officials speculated that the attack was motivated by a recent pledge by tribal leaders, apparently at Gul’s behest, to fight against any Taliban infiltration into the district.