At least 16 people were killed and 100 others injured after a powerful explosion on Sunday rocked the city of Firoz Koah, capital of Afghanistan's Ghor province, an official confirmed.

"The final number of casualties would be shared with media later in the day. The number of casualties may change as the rescue of victims from under debris is continuing," the provincial government official told Xinhua news agency.

AP quoted the head of a hospital in Ghor, Mohammad Omer Lalzad, as saying emergency staff were treating dozens of people with both serious and light injuries from the bombing. He expected the death total to rise.

The official added that many of the injured remained in critical condition. The blast occurred roughly at 11.15 am when an explosive-laden minibus was detonated in an area where the provincial police department and several other government offices are located, a security official told Xinhua.

"The nature of the blast could be a suspected suicide bombing. The blast sent a column of thick smoke into the sky and triggered panic, besides causing destruction," he said. Security forces have cordoned off the area for precautionary measures. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.

Meanwhile, the Taliban recently agreed to suspend attacks in southern Afghanistan that had displaced thousands of residents from past few days. It came after the USA vowed to suspend all strikes and night raids in keeping with the peace agreement the USA signed with the Taliban in February.

(With inputs from IANS)