Afghanistan: Eighteen civilians killed in Helmand blast
Baku, July 29 (AZERTAC). At least 18 Afghan civilians have been killed by a roadside bomb in southern Helmand province, police say.
They were travelling in a minibus through Nahr-e-Saraj district when the blast happened. They are thought to have been heading for the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah.
Roadside bombs are commonly used by the Taliban against Nato-led forces.
The first six months of 2011 have been the deadliest for civilians in Afghanistan since the war began.
Deputy police Chief Kamaluddin Shirzai said police were still at the scene of the explosion.
"The reports that I`ve received from the scene indicate that all 18 people in the vehicle have been killed," he told AFP news agency.
"We have been able to identify the bodies of one woman and three men so far," he added.
He said insurgents had fired at police who responded to the blast, but no officers had been wounded.
Civilian casualties in Afghanistan are at levels not seen for years.
The country suffered 1,462 civilian deaths from January to June, a 15% increase on the same period last year, according to a recent report by the UN.
Correspondents say roads are increasingly in the frontline of the war in Afghanistan.
Last year, more than 2,400 civilians died, with roadside bombs the biggest source of casualties.
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