Bus bomb kills 17

2003-08-13 12:57

Kabul - A massive bomb on a minibus killed 17 people and injured three others in southern Afghanistan early on Wednesday, officials said.

The bomb exploded in the minibus at 08:00, 15km west of Lashkar Gah, capital of Helmand province 550km southwest of Kabul, said Abdul Rahman Sabir, security commander of Helmand province.

"Due to an explosion inside the minibus 17 people were killed, half of them children and three were injured including the driver," Sabir said.

Police investigations had shown the blast was caused by explosives inside the bus and not a landmine, he said.

Sabir said the bomb attack was the work of Taliban and al-Qaeda militants.

"We have reports that they are planning more bomb attacks," he said.

Some 20 months after the toppling of the Taliban, members of the militia and their al-Qaeda allies continue to launch regular attacks on US-led coalition troops, Afghan forces and non-governmental organisations.

- AFP