A suicide bomber targeted worshippers who had gathered at a mosque in north Afghanistan for prayers to mark the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, killing at least 41 people.
More than 50 people were wounded in the attack, which happened as people were leaving the Eid Gah mosque in Maymana, the capital of Faryab province.
Senior provincial government and police officials had been attending the prayers, but appeared to escape serious injury. Officials say the victims were mainly police officers and civilians, including six children.
"We had just finished Eid al-Adha prayers and we were congratulating and hugging each other," deputy provincial governor Abdul Satar Barez told the AFP news agency, the BBC reports.
"Suddenly a big explosion took place and the area was full of dust and smoke and body parts of police and civilians were all over the place. It was a very powerful explosion."
One survivor told the BBC the attacker had used potent explosives and ball bearings inside his suicide jacket to cause maximum casualties.
