Bomb kills nine in Afghanistan

A ROADSIDE bomb destroyed a car in eastern Afghanistan yesterday, killing nine civilians, including a woman and a child.

President Hamid Karzai condemned the attack, which took place outside Mehterlam, the capital of Laghman province.

In southern Afghanistan gunmen killed a village elder in the Khash Rod district of Nimroz province. Nimroz has been recommended for transition from Nato to Afghan security control later this year.

Many Afghan militants have strongholds in the south, but also carry out attacks along the eastern border with Pakistan.