A bomb hidden in a pressure cooker exploded inside a restaurant in northern Afghanistan Tuesday, killing five people, senior officials said.

The explosion, which occurred shortly before noon in Faryab province, was targeting a former jihadi commander, according to the provincial governor Mohammadullha Batash.

The former commander, Mohammad Nadir, was among seven people wounded in the blast in the upscale district of Khwaja Sabz Poshi Wali, Batash said, adding that two suspects had been arrested.

Nobody claimed responsibility for the blast, but the Taliban and allied militant groups have been active in the area, which has seen several big blasts in recent months.