"Mujib Rahman Ansari, with some of his guards and civilians, have been killed on their way toward the mosque," said Herat's police spokesperson Mahmood Rasoli.

Rasoli did not say how many casualties the blast caused.

Local sources confirmed that 20 people were killed and nearly 200 others wounded in today's blast in Herat province.

The Taliban say they have improved security in the country since taking power around a year ago, but there have been several blasts in recent months, some of them targeting busy mosques during prayers