A man with explosives strapped to his body blew himself up outside a mosque in the northern Afghan city of Sheberghan after the morning prayers. Dostum, who was inside the mosque at the time, escaped unhurt.

Dostum, the dominant warlord in the Northern Provinces, had unsuccessfully contested against Afghan President Hamid Karzai in the recent presidential elections.

At least 21 civilians were injured -- four critically -- when the unidentified attacker blew himself up some 10 to 15 meters away from Dostum, said Xinhua quoting local law enforcement officials