An assailant jumped onto a car in the convoy of Governor Gjulam Dastageer and detonated an explosives belt  in the western province on Wednesday.

Dastageer was unhurt in the attack which occurred as he was leaving the city of Zaranj, the provincial capital, to travel to Khasrod.

Dastageer was going to inspect highway police patrols in Khasrod.

Other reports have quoted Dastageer as saying that the attacker first threw a hand grenade on the road in front of the convoy, slowing it down, and then jumped on one of the cars and detonated the explosives.

It is the second assassination attempt on Dastageer in nine months. An attack on November 18, 2007, killed his son and six of his bodyguards.

Nimruz province has been suspected of being a Taliban safehaven.

However, attacks in the west of Afghanistan are low compared to the south where Nato forces are stationed.

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