MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan, Aug 18 (NNN-XINHUA) – At least nine civilians were killed after a roadside bomb struck a minibus, in Afghanistan’s northern province of Balkh on Sunday (today), local police confirmed.
“Nine innocent civilians were killed following an improvised explosive device (IED) attack, in surrounding areas of the northwestern Dawlat Abad district, in Balkh province, on Sunday morning,” Abdul Razaq Qadiri, deputy provincial police chief, told Xinhua.
The dead were shifted to the district hospital and the next of kin of the victims were notified of the incident, the police official added.
He blamed enemies of peace, referring to the Taliban militant group, for the attack.
Taliban militants have been using IED’s to make roadside bombs and landmines, targeting security forces, but the lethal home-made weapons also inflict casualties on civilians.
Afghan civilians continue to bear the brunt of armed conflicts, as more than 1,360 civilians were killed and over 2,440 others injured, in conflict-related incidents in the first six months of this year, according to figures released by the UN mission in Afghanistan.– NNN-XINHUA
