An explosion targeted a football match in Faizabad city, the center of the northeastern province of Badakhshan, on Sunday evening, killing the former mayor of the city, Nazir Mohammad Niazi, who was also a commander of public uprising forces.    

The provincial governor Zakaria Sawda confirmed the incident and said another person was wounded in the explosion. 

The Ministry of Interior’s spokesman Nusrat Rahimi also confirmed the incident. 

Mr. Rahimi said the explosives were placed near the football ground and were detonated when the former mayor arrived in the area.

This comes amid increasing violence in different parts of the country.