A passenger bus hit a roadside bomb, killing 12 people, including five children, in the province of Paktika in eastern Afghanistan, the press office of the local governor reported on Sunday.
The incident occurred in the area close to the border with Pakistan when Afghan citizens were returning home from the Pakistani town of Quetta, the press office said.
At least five people were wounded in the blast, the press office said.
Violence has surged in Afghanistan in recent months, with the Taliban group, which was toppled in a 2001 U.S.-led campaign, staging regular attacks on provincial government officials, police and civilians and planting roadside bombs to target Afghan, U.S. and NATO troops.
KABUL, March 6 (RIA Novosti)
