A suicide bomber targeted a Nato patrol in a market filled with children, killing 13 primary school pupils and at least four other people.
Eight Dutch soldiers patrolling on foot - the apparent targets - and at least 35 Afghans were wounded in the bombing in southern Uruzgan province, one of the deadliest in Afghanistan this year. The Taliban claimed responsibility. The bomber struck at around 9.00am, when children usually arrived at a nearby primary school.
Qassim Khan, the provincial police chief, said the bomber blew himself up outside a pharmacy as the Dutch patrol entered the market.
AP