An Afghan official says gunshots erupted during a rally in a northern province where a group was protesting the selection of candidates for the 2014 elections, killing two people and wounding eight.
Governor Khirullah Anosh says the shooting took place today outside his office in the town of Aibak in Samangan province. About 300 people had gathered for the protest.
Anosh says the protest was organized by Asif Azimi, an ex-senator from the region who saw his candidacy for next year's provincial council elections rejected by the authorities because of standing criminal accusations against him.
The governor says some among the protesters waved the white Taliban flag.
It's unclear who opened fire and whether the shooting victims were hit by the protesters or by the governor's security forces.
