Bomb kills at least 12 in a family

An Afghan family returning home after fleeing a possible military operation struck a roadside bomb. At least 12 of them were killed and eight were wounded.

The family’s van was hit in Helmand province’s Marjah district, a Taliban stronghold.

They had fled the district after hearing that a government offensive could take place there, relative Mohammad Salih said. He said he believed asmany as 21 of his relatives were killed.

No one claimed responsibility for the blast. The Taliban routinely plants roadside bombs to target security forces, though the bombs often hit civilian vehicles.

In February, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan documented 10,548 civilian casualties in 2014, the highest number in a single year since 2009. They include 3,699 civilian deaths, up 25% from2013.