Suicide bomber kills 20 in Afghanistan

KABUL - January 14, 2010 -- NATO says the death toll from a suicide bombing in a busy market district in central Afghanistan has risen to 20.

A district police chief says the attacker apparently was targeting a regular meeting of NATO and local officials and tribal elders that was happening near the blast.

Omar Khan says he was at the meeting when the blast occurred but the building was heavily guarded and it would have been hard for the bomber to enter. NATO spokesman Lt. Nico Melendez in Kabul says he had no indication of a NATO connection to the blast.

Thursday's attack occurred in the town of Dihrawud, in Uruzgan province, as the area was packed with shoppers and vendors gathered for the weekly bazaar.

Police say three children were among the dead.

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