Afghan official: At least 20 dead, 10 wounded in wedding gunfight

At least 20 people were killed when a family feud escalated into a gunfight at the wedding of a mullah's son in the northern Afghanistan province of Baghlan, authorities said Monday.

Brig. Gen. Abdul Jabbar Purdali told the Pajhwok news agency that a group of armed men opened fire on the wedding party late Sunday. Purdali said 20 people were killed and nine wounded. Baghlan Civil Hospital spokesman Shah Mohammad Hofia said 22 people including two children were killed in the shootout.

Witnesses told the news agency that the battle erupted during a music program. Provincial Gov. Sultan Mohammad Ebadi told Khaama Press that preliminary reports indicated an argument over a young boy provoked the violence.

Jaweed Basharat, spokesman for the governor, told the Associated Press  that most of the dead were wedding guests ages 14 to 60. Baghlan and other northern provinces have dealt with sometimes violent political unrest since the U.S.-led invasion in 2001 that toppled the Taliban. However, police chief of Andarab, Col. Gulistan Qasani, said hostility between the two groups involved in the gunfight had been simmering for many years.

"The clash broke out after a relative of a provincial police official was assassinated during the wedding party," Qasani told AP.