Afghan official: Suicide bomber kills 9 at funeral

KABUL, Afghanistan – An Afghan official says a suicide bomber detonated his payload at a crowded funeral, killing two police and seven civilians.

Taj Mohammed Taqwa, chief of the Burka district in the Baghlan province north of Kabul, says the attacker appeared to be targeting police and local officials, including him, who were among some 1,000 people attending Monday's funeral.

Taliban insurgents have stepped up attacks across Afghanistan in the run-up to the official end of the U.S. and NATO combat mission on Dec. 31, raising concerns about whether local security forces will be able to protect the country as foreign troops shift to a supporting role.