Roadside bomb kills 12 civilians in eastern Afghanistan

GHAZNI, Afghanistan – Agence France-Presse

This photo taken on May 28, 2014 shows US soldiers watching as others prepare artillery for wounded veterans to shoot during 'Operation Proper Exit' at Forward Operating Base Shank in Afghanistan's Logar Province. AFP photo

A roadside bomb killed 12 civilians, including seven women in eastern Afghanistan Saturday, officials said, the latest violence in the country as U.S.-led troops prepare to leave after 13 years of war.
The victims were traveling in Giro district of Ghazni province after a wedding ceremony when the bomb ripped through their vehicle, district governor Abdullah Khairkhwah told AFP.
"Twelve civilians were killed, seven of them were women, and the rest were men, as their minivan vehicles hit a roadside bomb," Khairkhwah said.
He added that two other civilians were also wounded in the explosion.
The district governor said the death toll might rise.
Ghazni provincial governor spokesman Shafiq Nang confirmed the incident.
Roadside bombs are commonly used by Taliban insurgents to target Afghan and foreign forces but often cause casualties to civilians.
Attacks that kill civilians usually go unclaimed and there was no immediate admission of responsibility for the deaths.
Afghanistan is in the middle of presidential elections, with former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah and ex-World Bank economist Ashraf Ghani due to compete in a head-to-head run-off vote next month.
Both candidates have promised to bring peace after decades of conflict. But they will have to tackle security without NATO combat troops, all 51,000 of whom will pull out by the end of this year.