Roadside bomb kills seven civilians in Afghanistan

KUNAR: At least seven people including children were killed when a roadside bomb struck a vehicle in eastern Afghanistan, officials said Sunday, the latest civilian casualties which soared to a record high this year.

The explosion occurred late Saturday when the pickup truck was driving from Asadabad, the capital of Kunar province, to Nari district close to the border with Pakistan.

"Last evening a pickup truck, with women and children onboard, was blown up by a roadside bomb, that killed seven people including two little girls," Nari police chief Mohammad Yousuf told AFP.

He blamed the Taliban for the blast, which also left three women wounded.

Mohammad Rahman Danish, the district chief of Nari, confirmed the incident, which highlights worsening violence as US-led troops leave Afghanistan after more than a decade of fighting.

There was no immediate claim of responsiblity for the blast, but roadside bombs are the Taliban´s weapon of choice in their battle against the US-backed government and foreign forces, that also increasingly kill and wound civilians.

A UN report released on Friday said civilian casualties hit a record high this year, with 3,188 civilians killed and 6,429 injured by the end of November. (AFP)