Roundup: Suicide car bomb kills 3, wounds 18 in S. Afghanistan

Three persons including the attacker were killed and 18 others sustained injuries as a suicide bomber targeted a police convoy in Helmand's provincial capital Lashkar Gah on Thursday, spokesman for provincial government Omar Zawak said.

"A suicide bomber driving an explosive-laden car blew himself up next to a convoy of police in Lashkar Gah city this afternoon, leaving three persons including himself, a police and a civilian dead and injured 18 others including five children," Zawak told Xinhua.

The deadly suicide car bombing took place in Kandahar Ada area of Lashkar Gah city at around 02:40 p.m. local time when a convoy of Civil Order Police was parked, the official added.

Zawak also put the attack on the enemies of peace, a term used against Taliban militants for the attack. However, the armed outfit fighting the government has yet to claim responsibility.

Meanwhile, an official said on condition of anonymity that the number of casualties could go higher as some people had already shifted casualties either to their houses or to hospitals.

Eleven personnel of Civil Order Police are also among those injured in the attack, the official added.

Zawak said investigation has been initiated into the case and details will be made public after completion of the investigation.

Notorious for poppy cultivation and militancy, Helmand has been regarded as a hotbed of Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan. Endi