Three close relatives of Afghanistan's parliamentary speaker were among up to ten killed when a suicide bomber exploded at the end of a buzkashi match in northern Afghanistan.

The dead included the father, brother and nephew of Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi, along with several guards.

The blast happened in Kunduz province as around 3,000 people watched the traditional sport where horsemen compete over the carcass of a dead goat.

Hamid Karzai, Afghan president, condemned the attack, saying that terrorists "have once again killed and injured innocent people". There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast in Imam Sahib district.

Kunduz has been the northern stronghold of the Taliban movement, though security has improved as NATO and the Afghan government have forged controversial local defense militias to secure roads and villages.

The province holds an annual buzkashi festival to mark Afghan New Year, which falls next week.

Meanwhile tensions increased in Kabul over the delayed handover of Bagram US military prison to Afghan control.

The American military has agreed to hand over the high security prison north of Kabul where hundreds of insurgents are held, but it wants assurances Taliban inmates will not be freed.

Mr. Karzai has said many of those held are innocent. A meeting between the two men on Wednesday failed to break the impasse.

After the meeting, Mr. Karzai said the delay was harming relations with the US. A statement from his palace said: "All those who are innocent but still held in the prison should be released as per Afghan laws at the soonest.

It added that "even after the full transfer, those who pose a threat to the security of the country will remain in custody within Afghan laws."

Gen Joseph Dunford, the top US commander in the country, countered that the handover had to be done "in a way that meets the needs of Afghan sovereignty while mitigating the real threats that some of these detainees pose to Afghan and coalition forces. We will complete the transfer when the remaining issues have been resolved."

READ FULL SOURCE ARTICLE: 03/14/2013