26 Killed, 42 Injured In Suicide Attack Near Afghanistan President Ghani’s Rally In Parwan

At least 26 people were killed and 31 injured near an election rally held by Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani in central Parwan province on Tuesday. "Women and children are among them and most of the victims seems to be the civilians. Ambulances are still operating, and the number of casualties may rise," said Abdul Qasim Sangin, head of the provincial hospital.

The president's campaign spokesman Hamed Aziz says that Ghani was there but that he is safe and unharmed.

Wahida Shahkar, spokeswoman for the provincial governor in Parwan, said the explosion happened while the rally was underway, at the entrance to the venue.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

On Monday, terror attacks and more violence killed at least seven people across Afghanistan as the country. At least five civilians, including women and children, were killed when their vehicle struck a roadside bomb in western Farah province on Sunday, according to Mohibullah Mohib, spokesman for the provincial police.

Earlier this month, the Taliban launched an attempt to take the city of Farah, briefly seizing an army recruitment center and setting it on fire. Airstrikes were called in and the Taliban were eventually forced out of the city.

And on Monday, a sticky bomb attached to a mini bus belonging to the university in Ghazni province, exploded and killed the bus driver. Arif Noori, spokesman for the provincial governor, said five Ghazni University students were also wounded in the blast.

And in eastern Logar province, a schoolgirl died in the crossfire during a battle in the Mohammad Agha district between the Taliban and the security forces, the police said. A second student was wounded.

The attacks come as the Afghan government is preparing for the upcoming presidential election on September 28. Around 100,000 members of the country's security forces will provide security on polling day.

The Interior Ministry said that 72,000 security personnel will be on duty around the 4,942 polling centers across Afghanistan while nearly 30,000 additional troops will serve as reserve units.