Bus strikes roadside bomb in Afghanistan, 32 killed, including children
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A roadside bomb tore through a bus in western Afghanistan on Wednesday, killing at least 32 people, including women and children, a provincial official said.
Sediq Sediqqi, a spokesman for President Ashraf Ghani, said on Twitter that the Taliban planted the mine. He said all of the victims were civilians.
Mohibullah Mohib, spokesman for the police chief in Farah province, said 15 other people were wounded, with most in critical condition. The bus was traveling on a main highway between the western city of Herat and the southern city of Kandahar.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}No one immediately claimed responsibility, but Taliban insurgents operate in the region and frequently use roadside bombs to target government officials and security forces. The Taliban have kept up a steady tempo of attacks even as they have held several rounds of peace talks with the United States aimed at ending the 18-year war.
The U.N. report said 403 civilians were killed by Afghan forces in the first six months of the year and another 314 by international forces, a total of 717. That's compared to 531 killed by the Taliban, an Islamic State affiliate and other militants during the same period. It said 300 of those killed by militants were directly targeted.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Taliban, who effectively control half the country, have been meeting with U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad since late last year. They appear to be closing in on an agreement whereby American forces would withdraw from Afghanistan in return for guarantees that it would not be used as a launch-pad for international terror attacks.
The Associated Press contributed to this report