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1st LD Writethru: 11 Afghan civilians killed in roadside bombing in southern province

Xinhua, April 15, 2017 Adjust font size:

Eleven civilians were killed in a roadside bomb blast in Afghanistan's southern province of Helmand Friday night, local authorities said on Saturday.

"A minibus carrying civilians touched off an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in Mullah Abbas locality, Nawa district late Friday night. The blast killed all 11 people aboard the vehicle that was destroyed by the blast," Omar Zwak, provincial government spokesman, told Xinhua.

The bodies were shifted to a hospital for identification process.

The Taliban militant group uses IEDs to target security forces but the lethal weapons also inflict casualties on civilians, according to military officials.

The IED explosions are the third largest cause of civilian casualties in Afghanistan, following ground engagements and suicide attacks.

The district has been the scene of heavy clashes as security forces have been involved in an ongoing military operation to drive out the militants form the district, south of the city of Lashkar Gah, Helmand's provincial capital.

Helmand, notorious for poppy growing, is a Taliban stronghold. Endit