18 dead in suicide attack on Afghanistan funeral

At least 18 people were killed and 14 others wounded when a suicide attacker blew himself up during a funeral in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday, officials said.

An earlier statement from the governor's office said six people had been killed and 11 wounded.

The attacker struck during the funeral ceremony for a former governor of Haska Mina district who died recently of natural causes, the statement said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack in Nangarhar where the Islamic State group has a stronghold.

The Taliban said on Twitter they had nothing to do with the incident -- the latest violence to claim the lives of civilians in the war-torn country.

"The explosion was caused by a motorcycle bomb our investigation has concluded," Nangarhar governor spokesman Attaullah Khogyani told AFP.

The governor's office put the death toll from the attack near the provincial capital Jalalabad at 18, with 13 wounded.

Provincial health director Najib Kamawal confirmed the new toll.

OneIndia News (with agency inputs)