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1st LD Writethru: 2 Afghan civilians killed in roadside bomb blast: official

Xinhua, December 25, 2016 Adjust font size:

Two Afghan civilians were killed in a roadside bomb explosion in eastern Laghman province on Sunday, a local official said.

"Two daily workers were travelling in a tricycle in Omarzai locality in provincial capital Mehtarlam city at 7:30 a.m. local time. The vehicle touched off an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), triggering a blast which killed the two aboard the vehicle on the spot," Sarhadi Zwak provincial government spokesman told Xinhua.

He blamed the Taliban militant group for planting the IED along the public road.

The Taliban has been using the home-made IEDs to target security forces but the lethal weapons also inflict casualties on civilians, according to military officials.

On Saturday, one shepherd was killed in similar incident in Spin Boldak district of southern Kandahar province.

More than 2,560 civilians were killed and over 5,830 injured in the first nine months of the year in conflict-related incidents across Afghanistan, according to the latest figures released by the UN mission in the country.

Ground engagements remained the largest cause of civilian casualties, followed by suicide attacks and IED explosions. Enditem