Afghan Sikhs, Hindus grieve after suicide attack kills 20

Grief mixed with anger among Afghanistan's minority Sikh and Hindu community on Monday, reports Agencies.

They prepared for funerals of loved ones, including an election candidate, killed in a suicide attack.

At least 20 people were killed and 21 wounded when a suicide bomber blew himself up in a crowd of Afghan Sikhs and Hindus waiting to meet President Ashraf Ghani in the eastern city of Jalalabad on Sunday.

Scores of mourners shouted "death to Ashraf Ghani" and "death to the government" as they placed coffins in ambulances that would take them to a temple for funeral ceremonies.

Among the dead were 17 Sikhs and Hindus, officials said, including Avtar Singh, the only Sikh candidate running in the October 20 legislative elections, and Rawail Singh, a prominent social activist.

"This attack has killed many of our elders, those who loved their country more than anything else," Narendar Singh told the news agency as he took the body of his father, Avtar Singh, from the hospital.

"We were the direct target. The government really does not care about us.

We used to be a huge community but most of us have left."

Around 1,000 Sikhs and Hindus are estimated to reside in what is otherwise an overwhelmingly Muslim nation.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack, the latest carried out by the militants in the restive province where they have a foothold.

Ghani was in Jalalabad on Sunday as part of a two-day visit to the province. He was not harmed.

Singh said a group of 20 Sikhs and Hindus had planned to meet with Ghani in the morning at the provincial governor's compound but the meeting was postponed until the afternoon.

Meanwhile, India on Monday condemned a deadly bomb attack in Afghanistan that killed 20 people and wounded 20 others, officials said.

The bomb attack was carried out in Jalalabad city on Sunday when a suicide bomber detonated his explosives targeting a convoy on way to enter the governor's house to meet Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.

"We strongly condemn the terror attacks in Afghanistan yesterday. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. I pray that the injured recover soon," Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said. "India stands ready to assist the Afghanistan government in this sad hour."