Suicide bomber kills 90 in northern Afghanistan

MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan, Nov 6 (Reuters) A suicide bomber killed 90 people and wounded 50 today in an attack on a group of visiting Afghan parliamentarians in the northern Afghan town of Baghlan, the director of the local hospital said.

''The bodies of 90 people have been brought to the hospital so far and 50 people have been wounded,'' Baghlan hospital director Dr Khalilullah told Reuters.

Five parliamentarians, including opposition spokesman Mostafa Kazemi, were among those killed, the provincial governor said. Baghlan's intelligence chief, Abdurrahman Sayedkhail, said the number of casualties was so high it was impossible to give an accurate number for now.

The delegation was visiting the industrial part of the town of Baghlan when the attack took place.

The hardline Islamist Taliban have killed more than 200 people in more than 130 suicide attacks so far this year in a campaign of violence aimed at convincing Afghans their government and its Western backers are incapable of providing security.

REUTERS SS HS1834