Ten killed in Afghan blast

Ten people, including soldiers and civilians, were killed when a suicide car bomber attacked an Afghan army convoy in southern Helmand province, a local official said.

Atiqullah Khan, Nawa district director, said Sunday the majority of the dead were soldiers who were targeted by the attacker. At least eight others were wounded, he said.

No one immediately claimed responsibility.

Omer Zwak, spokesman for the provincial governor in Helmand, confirmed the attack and causalities, but couldn’t provide an exact number of dead and wounded.

Khan said the number of casualties could rise.

In the past two years, and after the withdrawal of most foreign combat troops, the Taliban have stepped up attacks and spread out from their southern heartland across the country.

Also on Sunday, at least two police officers, including a district police chief, were killed in western Nimroz province when their convoy was attacked by militants, a provincial official said.

Gen. Jialani Abubaker, provincial police chief in Nimroz, said Abdul Hakim, Dilaram district police chief, and another district police officer were killed in an ambush.

No one claimed immediate responsibility for the attack, but Taliban insurgents are active in the Dilaram district where the killings took place.

Abubaker said Hakim was returning to duty from the provincial capital of Zaranj when he was killed.