A suicide bomber attacked a funeral in northern Afghanistan on Sunday injuring scores of civilians and killing numerous people including a reported government official.

The attack occurred as people were leaving after the end of a funeral in the town of Taloqan, Faid Mohammad Tawhedi, a spokesman for the governor's office in northern Takhar province said, according to AP.

Tawhedi said the dead included parliament member Abdul Mutaleb Baik.

The attack occurred while prayers were being read at the funeral of a tribal leader. "People were gathering for a funeral when a suicide bomber detonated himself," Mahmod al-Hussain, a senior police detective for the northern Takhar province, told Reuters.

The once-peaceful northern Takhar province has been subject to a series of high profile attacks and assassinations over the last year, including the killing of a top police commander in May.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. But over the past year, the Taliban have struck prominent government figures. In September, a suicide bomber killed Burhanuddin Rabbani, a former Afghan president and head of the nation's peace council.

This attack could possibly jeopardize NATO efforts to start the process of a security handover from foreign forces to Afghan soldiers and police in some parts of north Afghanistan.

"This reprehensible attack on a funeral further illustrates that the Taliban and other insurgents are waging a murderous campaign against innocent Afghan civilians, including women and children," the U.S. embassy said in a statement.

President Hamid Karzai strongly condemned the attack.

"This attack once again shows the malicious and un-Islamic intentions of the terrorists, who don't even want Muslims in Afghanistan to hold religious ceremonies in a peaceful environment," he said in a statement.

There were varying reports of the actual dead and wounded. While local police said the death toll was at least 20, Karzai's office put the number at 10 while the interior ministry said 19 were killed and 40 wounded.

This attack could possibly jeopardize NATO efforts to start the process of a security handover from foreign forces to Afghan soldiers and police in some parts of north Afghanistan.

"This reprehensible attack on a funeral further illustrates that the Taliban and other insurgents are waging a murderous campaign against innocent Afghan civilians, including women and children," the U.S. embassy said in a statement.

President Hamid Karzai strongly condemned the attack.

"This attack once again shows the malicious and un-Islamic intentions of the terrorists, who don't even want Muslims in Afghanistan to hold religious ceremonies in a peaceful environment," he said in a statement.

There were varying reports of the actual dead and wounded. While local police said the death toll was at least 20, Karzai's office put the number at 10 while the interior ministry said 19 were killed and 40 wounded.

 The Christian Post Daily Report 12.26.11