The explosion in Afghanistan: Sikhs among the 19 dead in the Jalalabad suicide attack

A suicide bomb attack in the city of Jalalabad, in eastern Afghanistan, killed at least 19 people, mostly members of the country's Sikh minority.

Police said they were traveling in a vehicle to meet with President Ashraf Ghani, who was traveling to Nangarhar province when the suicide bomber hit.

Among those killed, there was the only Sikh candidate who had planned to participate in the parliamentary elections in October.

The Islamic State (IS) group said it led the attack.

A few hours earlier, Mr. Ghani opened a hospital in Jalalabad during his two-day visit to Nangarhar. Officials said that he was not in the area when the suicide blast occurred.

The Indian Embassy in Kabul condemned the "cowardly terrorist attack."

She confirmed that Awtar Singh Khalsa, the only Sikh candidate "The attack underlines the need for a united global fight against international terrorism, without discrimination and responsibility of those who support terrorists of any way it is, "said the embassy. tweeted.

Nangarhar health director Najibullah Kamawal told the AFP news agency that 17 of the dead were Sikhs and Hindus. Another 20 people were injured, he added.

The kamikaze targeted the vehicle as he was crossing Mukhaberat Square in the city, said the spokesman of the governor, Attaullah Khogyani. The explosion has severely damaged shops and buildings

Small communities of Sikhs and Hindus live in Afghanistan, which is otherwise a predominantly Muslim nation.

According to correspondents, more and more people have emigrated to India.

It is said on his news agency Amaq that he conducted the attack although she gave no proof of the claim.

The latest attack comes after the three-day ceasefire between government forces and the Taliban.

The brief truce did not include the IS, which is fighting both Taliban and government forces.