Bomb blast kills 8 women and children in eastern Afghanistan

At least eight Afghan women and children have been killed in a bomb explosion in Afghanistan’s Eastern Logar Province.

The Wednesday explosion also injured at least four others.

This is while another bomb attack, apparently meant for a convoy of US-led foreign forces, in the town of Khost near the border with Pakistan killed at least 18 people, most of them civilians.

The attack took place after a bomber riding a motorbike attacked the joint patrol passing through the town, Afghan Interior Ministry said.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attacks, but Interior Ministry spokesman Seddiq Seddiqi blamed the “enemies of Afghanistan” for the incident.

The United Nations announced on February 4 that 2011 was the deadliest year on record for Afghan civilians. The death toll rose eight percent compared to the year before and was roughly double the figure for 2007.

Afghan civilians have paid a high price since the US-led invasion of the country in 2001.