KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — A civilian bus in western Afghanistan hit a roadside bomb early Wednesday, leaving at least 34 passengers dead and more than a dozen injured, Afghan officials said.

The attack, in the Balaboluk district of restive Farah Province, was the latest involving mass civilian casualties in a spiraling war that the United Nations says has killed nearly 1,400 civilians — as well as several thousand Afghan soldiers and Taliban fighters — so far this year alone.

Farooq Barakzai, a spokesman for Farah’s governor, said the bus had been traveling from Herat Province in the west to Kandahar in the south.

“The bus hit an improvised explosive device planted by the Taliban,” Mr. Barakzai said. “The dead and wounded have been shifted to Herat Province.” </s> Dozens of passengers, mainly women and children, were killed in western Afghanistan on Wednesday when the bus they were travelling in hit a roadside bomb.

A passenger bus travelling on the Kandahar-Herat highway hit a “Taliban roadside bomb” and at least 32 were killed and 17 wounded, said Muhibullah Muhib, the spokesman for Farah province.

All were civilians, mostly women and children, he said. Farooq Barakzai, a spokesman for Farah’s governor, confirmed the toll but warned it might rise higher.

No immediate confirmation from the Taliban was given that it was behind the blast. Taliban fighters operate in the region and frequently use roadside bombs to target government officials and security forces.

The blast came one day after the United Nations said civilians were being killed and wounded at a “shocking” level in Afghanistan’s war, despite a push to end the nearly 18-year-old conflict. </s> At least 34 killed as Afghan bus hits bomb

Herat, Afghanistan: At least 34 people were killed in western Afghanistan Wednesday when the bus, they were travelling in, hit a roadside bomb, officials said, a day after the UN warned civilians were dying at "shocking" levels in the war-torn country.



The blast ripped through a passenger bus on a main highway in Farah province, at around 6:00 am (0130 GMT), authorities said, killing mainly women and children.

"A passenger bus travelling on the Kandahar-Herat highway hit a Taliban roadside bomb killing 34 innocent people and wounding 17 others," said Muhibullah Muhib, a police spokesman for Farah province.

All were civilians, mostly women and children, he said.

Sediq Sediqqi, a spokesman for the Afghan presidency, confirmed the toll, blaming the incident on the Taliban.

Nasrat Rahim, the interior ministry spokesman, called the blast a "barbaric act of the terrorists".

There was no immediate confirmation from the insurgents that they were behind the blast. </s> The bus was full of passengers travelling to Kandahar when it struck a roadside bomb JALIL REZAYEE/EPA

At least 35 people were killed, including women and children, when a roadside bomb struck a bus in Afghanistan today as security continues to deteriorate in the run-up to elections in September.

The blast occurred on the main road between the provincial capitals of Herat and Kandahar in western Farah province bordering Iran. Local officials blamed the Taliban, claiming the bomb was meant to target Afghan security forces.

“The bus was full of passengers coming from Herat. The dead and injured include women and children,” said Mohibullah Mohib, a provincial police spokesman. “The explosives were planted by the Taliban to attack a security convoy.”

No group has admitted carrying out the attack, however. Zabiullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesman, denied any involvement by the insurgents. The… </s> UNITED NATIONS, Jul 31 (APP):UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres “strongly” condemned Wednesday’s attack on a bus traveling along the Kandahar-Herat Highway in Afghanistan.

According to press reports, dozens of civilians, mainly women and children, were killed when the bus they were traveling in hit an improvised explosive device. </s> At least 28 killed as Afghan bus hits bomb

Herat: Dozens of passengers, mainly women and children, were killed in western Afghanistan early Wednesday when the bus they were travelling in hit a roadside bomb, officials said.



"A passenger bus travelling on the Kandahar-Herat highway hit a Taliban roadside bomb. So far at least 28 killed, 10 wounded," said Muhibullah Muhib, the spokesman for Farah province.

All were civilians, mostly women and children, he said. Farooq Barakzai, a spokesman for Farah´s governor, confirmed the toll but warned it may rise higher.

There was no immediate confirmation from the Taliban that it was behind the attack.

It came one day after the United Nations said civilians are being killed and wounded at a "shocking" level in Afghanistan´s war, despite a push to end the nearly 18-year-old conflict.

Casualties have dropped 27 percent in the first half of 2019 compared to the same period last year, which was a record, but nonetheless 1,366 civilians were killed and another 2,446 injured. The UN branded efforts to reduce the violence "insufficient".

It also said that US and pro-government forces caused more civilian deaths than the Taliban and other insurgent groups for the second quarter running.

Child casualties represented almost one-third of the overall total of civilian casualties.

The bloodshed comes amid a months-long, US-led push to forge a peace deal with the Taliban that would see foreign forces quit the country in return for various security guarantees. </s> KANDAHAR: At least 13 people were killed when a passenger bus collided with a truck parked on a road in southern Afghanistan on Saturday and overturned, officials said.

Another 25 were wounded in the accident in Zherai district of Kandahar province, provincial police spokesman Abdul Bashir Khaksar told AFP.

The truck was stationary when it was hit by the bus at around 6:00 am, said Kandahar governor spokesman Mohammad Aziz Azizi.

The bus was carrying around 40 passengers from neighbouring Helmand province to Kandahar and overturned after the collision, he told AFP. Azizi put the death toll at 15. Women and children were among the casualties, he added. </s> At least 13 people were killed when a passenger bus collided with a truck parked on a road in southern Afghanistan on Saturday and overturned, officials said.

Another 25 were wounded in the accident in Zherai district of Kandahar province, provincial police spokesman Abdul Bashir Khaksar told AFP.

The truck was stationary when it was hit by the bus at around 6:00 am (local time), said Kandahar governor spokesman Mohammad Aziz Azizi.

The bus was carrying around 40 passengers from neighbouring Helmand province to Kandahar and overturned after the collision, he told AFP.

Azizi put the death toll at 15. Women and children were among the casualties, he added.

It was unclear how many of the casualties were on the bus.

Traffic accidents are common in Afghanistan where drivers often flout rules and roads are in poor condition. </s> At least 15 people were killed, and 25 others were wounded in a traffic accident early Saturday, Kandahar local officials said.



According to local officials the accident occurred on Saturday morning at around 6am in Hawoz Madad village of Zhari district when a passenger bus and a truck collided.



Kandahar provincial governor’s spokesman Aziz Ahmad Azizi confirmed the crash said that women and children are among the victims.



Three women are among the dead and three are among the wounded, Azizi said.



According to Azizi three children were also killed.

A number of wounded are in critical condition, officials said.
Thirty-two civilians are killed and over 20 are injured after their bus hits a land mine on the main road between Herat and Kandahar.