Blast near election rally for Afghan President kills 24

Separate blast in centre of Kabul kills 6

A blast killed 24 people and injured 31 others near an election rally held by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in central Parwan province on Tuesday, a health official said.

"Women and children are among them and most of the victims seem to be the civilians. Ambulances are still operating, and the number of casualties may rise," said Abdul Qasim Sangin, head of the provincial hospital.

Afghan officials said a sticky bomb attached to a police vehicle went off near a campaign rally by President Ashraf Ghani in the country's northern Parwan province.

The president's campaign spokesman Hamed Aziz says that Ghani was there but that he is safe and unharmed. Aziz said he would provide more details later.

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

In a separate attack, a blast in the centre of Kabul killed at least six people. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

Across Afghanistan, militant attacks have continued as the country prepares for presidential elections later this month.