1st LD Writethru: 7 family members killed, another injured as mortar mine hits residential area in N. Afghanistan

Seven members of a family were killed and another injured as a mortar mine struck a house in Baghlan-e-Markazi district of the northern Afghan province of Baghlan on Sunday, a local official said.

"A mortar mine fired by Taliban militants struck a house in Baghlan-e-Markazi district at around noon leaving seven members of the family dead and injured another," district governor Gohar Khan Babiri told reporters here.

Those who have lost their lives in the deadly attack include three women and four children, the official said.

He added that the only surviving member of the ill-fated family is a child who received serious injuries in the attack.

Taliban militants are yet to make comment.

Baghlan-e-Markazi has been regarded as the bastion of Taliban militants in the restive Baghlan province with Pul-e-Khumri as its capital, located 160 km north of Kabul.

Civilians often bear the brunt of war in Afghanistan as more than 2,560 civilians had been killed and over 5,830 others injured between Jan. 1 to Sept. 30 this year, according to a report released by UN mission in the conflict-riddled country recently. Endit