Afghan provincial governor survives suicide blast

KHOST, Afghanistan, Aug 22 (Reuters) The governor of Afghanistan's southeastern province of Khost survived an assassination attempt today when a suicide bomber struck his convoy, witnesses said.

Several of governor Arsala Jamal's bodyguards were feared to have been killed in the attack, which occurred close to a base for Western troops just outside Khost town, the witnesses said.

Minutes after the attack, Jamal told Reuters he was fine.

''The attack was against my convoy. I am fine, but I see some people in flames in cars ahead of me.'' Khost lies near the border with Pakistan and has suffered a spate of attacks in recent months.

Violence has surged in the past 19 months in Afghanistan, the bloodiest period since US-led troops overthrew the Taliban in 2001.

Copying Iraqi insurgents' tactics, the Taliban largely rely on suicide attacks and roadside bombs as part of their campaign against the Afghan government and foreign troops.

Nearly 20 people, many of them civilians, were killed in two separate suicide attacks at the weekend in the southern province of Kandahar.

REUTERS AK KP1557