At least 20 killed in Afghanistan in attack targeting VP candidate

Kabul: At least 20 people were killed in a terrorist attack targeting the office of a vice presidential candidate in Afghanistan, state media reported.

Amrullah Saleh, who is President Ashraf Ghani's running-mate in this year's elections, survived the incident.

Ghani said on Twitter, "My brother, true son of the Afghan soil and first VP candidate of my electoral team, @AmrullahSaleh2 has survived a complex attack by enemies of the state. We are relieved and thank the almighty that attack has failed."

US Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad, who is leading efforts to achieve a peace deal in the country, said, "The attack on Amrullah Saleh's political party offices was grotesque and a clear act of terrorism. We condemn it in the strongest terms. The perpetrators should be brought to justice. We stand with #Afghanistan in the fight against terror."

Pakistan also condemned the attack.

The country's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal said in a statement, "Pakistan strongly condemns the terrorist attack on the office of Amrullah Saleh, a vice presidential candidate for the upcoming presidential elections in Afghanistan. Pakistan condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations."

"We stand with our Afghan brothers and sisters in their efforts to restore complete peace in the country through an inclusive Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process," the spokesman added.