Kabul: At least eight persons were killed and 20 injured as a suicide bomber blew himself up next to a bank in Lashkargah city of Afghanistan on Saturday, an official said.

A terrorist tied explosive device in his body blew himself up next to a local bank where security personnel gathered to collect their salaries, Xinhua news agency reported.

The victims included civilians and security personnel, the official said.

Lashkargah is a city in southern Afghanistan and the capital of Helmand province.

The poppy-growing Helmand province has been the scene of fierce fighting between government forces and Taliban militants over the past few years.

--IANS