A landmine explosion killed seven children and wounded two others in southern Afghanistan on Saturday, officials said, as war ordnance again claimed civilian lives.
The blast occurred in Ghazni province, south of the capital Kabul, when the children stepped on a landmine while playing near a main road, said provincial spokesman Aref Noori.
“The mine was planted by the Taliban on a main road to inflict casualties on security forces,” he said.
The Taliban did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The insurgents often use roadside bombs and landmines to target Afghan security forces, but the lethal weapons also inflict casualties on civilians.
Amanullah Kamrani, a member of Ghazni provincial council, said the children were aged between seven and nine and at least four of them belonged to one family.
Years of conflict have left Afghanistan strewn with landmines, unexploded mortars, rockets and homemade bombs — and many are picked up by curious children.
NDTV
