Thirteen Afghan civilians, including children, were killed and 33 wounded when their passenger bus was hit by a roadside bomb late yesterday in western Afghanistan.
The bomb in Khash Rod district of western Nimroz province had been planted by the Taliban, according to provincial police chief Abdul Jabar Purdeli.
Violence across Afghanistan in 2010 hit its worst levels since the Taliban were toppled by US-backed Afghan forces in late 2001. It has flared again since the Taliban began their spring offensive at the start of May.
Military deaths hit record levels in 2010 - and are following the same pattern this year - but civilians continue to bear the brunt of the conflict.
May was the deadliest month for civilians in Afghanistan since the UN mission began compiling statistics four years ago.
Reuters