Afghanistan bombs kill 23 civilians on bus and tractor
Roadside mines have killed 23 civilians in southern Afghanistan, with a minibus and a tractor struck separately by explosives in Helmand province, according to officials.
The minibus was travelling from Nahr-e-Saraj district to the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah, when it hit a mine and all 19 people inside were killed, said Kamaluddin Shirzai, deputy police chief for Helmand.
When security forces arrived at the scene they were attacked by Taliban insurgents, said Hekmatullah Akmal, a police commander.
He said it appeared at least 17 people had been killed but the damage from the blast made it difficult to determine how many people had been on the bus.