The attacker detonated explosives in his turban as the mayor made an address at the city hall, police said.

Two weeks ago, President Hamid Karzai's influential half-brother, Ahmad Wali Karzai, was killed in the same city.

The violence comes as NATO forces begin the handover of security to local troops in parts of the country.

Mr Hameedi had been speaking to local people who had come to discuss a land dispute when the explosion occurred.

Mr Hameedi had ordered for about 200 houses to be destroyed in the Loy Wala area as they had been built illegally, and two children had been killed as they were knocked down on July 26, security sources said.