Kabul, February 03: At least five civilians, including two men and three children, have been killed as a roadside bomb hit their vehicle in Kodnuz province in northern Afghanistan.
“The tragic incident happened in Gortipa district at around 10:00 a.m. local time today, “deputy to provincial police chief Abdul Rahman Haqtash told Xinhua on Thursday.
Police say the civilians were travelling in a pick-up truck when their vehicle hit a roadside bomb.
Afghan civilians often fall victim to militants’ roadside bombs, which are mainly aimed at NATO and Afghan forces.
More than 30 Afghan civilians have been killed in roadside bomb blasts during the last month.
Although NATO and the United States have close to 150,000 troops in Afghanistan, militant attacks are rampant in the war-torn country.
More than 2,000 civilians were killed in violence across Afghanistan last year, making it the deadliest year for civilians since the US-led invasion in 2001.
—–Agencies