MP candidate among 8 killed in Afghan suicide bombing

Eight people, including a parliamentary candidate, were killed and 11 others wounded in a terrorist attack in Lashkar Gah city, capital of southern province of Helmand on Tuesday, a local official said.

The parliamentary and district councils elections are expected to be held later this month on Oct. 20 and the attack was a latest in election-related violence.

Saleh Mohammad Achikzai sustained serious injuries when the suicide bomber struck his election campaign office building in Police District 1 of the city, Omar Zwak, a provincial government spokesman, said in a statement.

"Achikzai succumbed to his injuries after arrival in a surgical hospital in the city," he said.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far. Helmand, notorious for poppy growing, is also a known Taliban stronghold.

The death has brought to nine the number of candidates losing their lives mostly in terrorist attacks, before the polls.

More than 2,500 candidates from 33 out of 34 provinces (excluding Ghazni) will stand for the parliament's 249 seats.

Nearly 9 million registered voters, including 3 million women, will cast their ballots to elect the lawmakers for a five-year term while they will also vote to elect members of the district councils.