At least eight children have been killed and six wounded in a bomb blast in Afghanistan's northern Faryab province.

Police in the Shirin Tagab district blamed the Taliban for planting a mine in the area, which fell into the group's control last week.

The children were playing near a police station when the explosion happened, witnesses said.

They are said to be aged between six and 12 years old.

Afghan outlet Tolo News reports that two of the wounded have lost limbs. They were taken to hospital in a critical condition.

There has been no comment from the Taliban.</s>MAIMANA (Pajhwok): At least seven children have been killed and five others wounded as a result of a landmine explosion in the Sherin Tagab district of northwestern Farayb province, an official said on Saturday.

Ghulam Ali, district crime branch chief, told Pajhwok Afghan News the explosion took place in the Koh Sayyad area of the district late on Friday.

The landmine went off when the children were playing in the area, he said, adding seven minors were killed and five others wounded. The injured were evacuated to hospital.

The Taliban have not yet spoken in this regard.</s>Eight children died and six others were wounded when a bomb exploded while they were playing, in Faryab province in northern Afghanistan, a police official told EEF Saturday.

The children were all below the age of 12, and the incident occurred in Shirin Tagab district, according to provincial police spokesperson Karim Yourish.</s>At least eight children have been killed in a roadside bomb explosion in northern Faryab province, an Afghan official has said.

Karim Yuresh, spokesman for the provincial police chief, said six other children were wounded in the blast that took place late Friday afternoon in Shirin Tagab district.

Yuresh said that according to a hospital report, two of the wounded children were in critical condition. He said all of the children were between five and 12 years of age and were playing when the bomb exploded.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but Yuresh blamed Taliban insurgents who usually planted roadside bombs to target Afghan security forces in different part of the province.</s>MAZAR-I-SHARIF - Eight children, including four siblings, were killed in Afghanistan when a mortar shell they were playing with exploded, relatives said Saturday, adding to the ever-growing civilian toll in the 17-year war.

Another six children were wounded in the blast on Friday, including two who had lost limbs and were in a critical condition in a hospital in the northwestern province of Faryab. All the children were aged between five and 12. “They found an unexploded mortar shell and brought it near our house,” Shukrullah, an uncle of four of the children killed, told AFP.

“They didn’t know what it was and were trying to open it when it suddenly exploded.”

Mohammad Alam, who was a cousin of four of the children, said he heard a “big explosion”.

“I rushed to the site and saw the kids covered in blood,” Alam told AFP from the hospital. “They had found an unexploded shell and were playing with it when it went off.”

Officials were quick to blame the explosion on the Taliban, which last week captured Koh-e-Sayad village where the children lived.

The militants had planted a mine near a security checkpoint, Faryab police spokesman Abdul Karim Yoresh told AFP. “On Friday afternoon the children were passing the area when the mine hit them,” Yoresh said.

Children are often killed or maimed by explosive devices left over from decades of conflict, carelessly discarded or deliberately planted.

Civilians, including children, have borne the brunt of the conflict which began with the US-led invasion in 2001 that toppled the Taliban regime.

UN figures show 3,179 children were killed or wounded in 2017, accounting for almost one-third of the total civilian casualties for the year.

Improvised explosive devices, such as remotely detonated or pressure-plate bombs, killed or wounded 545 of them.

Unexploded ordnance claimed the lives of 142 children and wounded 376 in the same period.</s>Lamela thankful to be back playing again</s>All of the children are between 5 and 12 years of age.

An Afghan official says at least eight children have been killed in a roadside bomb explosion in northern Faryab province.

Karim Yuresh, spokesman for the provincial police chief, says six other kids were wounded in the blast that took place late Friday afternoon in Shirin Tagab district.

Yuresh says that according to a hospital report, two of the wounded kids are in critical condition. All of the children are between 5 and 12 years of age and were playing when the bomb exploded, he added.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but Yuresh blamed Taleban insurgents who usually plant roadside bombs to target Afghan security forces in different part of the province.</s>An Afghan official says at least eight children have been killed in a roadside bomb explosion in northern Faryab province.

Karim Yuresh, spokesman for the provincial police chief, says six other kids were wounded in the blast that took place late Friday afternoon in Shirin Tagab district.

Yuresh says that according to a hospital report, two of the wounded kids are in critical condition. All of the children are between 5 and 12 years of age and were playing when the bomb exploded, he added.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but Yuresh blamed Taliban insurgents who usually plant roadside bombs to target Afghan security forces in different part of the province.

Be the first to know. No one covers what is happening in our community better than we do. And with a digital subscription, you'll never miss a local story.</s>KABUL, Afghanistan — An Afghan official says at least eight children have been killed in a roadside bomb explosion in northern Faryab province.

Karim Yuresh, spokesman for the provincial police chief, says six other kids were wounded in the blast that took place late Friday afternoon in Shirin Tagab district.

Yuresh says that according to a hospital report, two of the wounded kids are in critical condition. All of the children are between 5 and 12 years of age and were playing when the bomb exploded, he added.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but Yuresh blamed Taliban insurgents who usually plant roadside bombs to target Afghan security forces in different part of the province.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</s>I commend Cynthia Parkhill for writing “Not having children requires an excuse.” This issue that remains a major controversy is based on ancient religion developed when the human population was numbered in the mere millions, not the nearly seven billion of today.

Today, it would seem more sensible to question any couple”s decision to procreate. The planet today cannot provide a healthy future for its children. Clean air and water, healthy food, safe housing, good education and jobs don”t exist for these children in parts of the earth, even in this country, where poverty, pollution and other problems prevail.

This is becoming more widespread every year and impacts more people of moderate means.

Eventually, even the wealthiest people may find it difficult to provide a promising environment for their children. Will we then still chastise non-breeders or one-child families? Will we still cherish the gas-guzzling SUV and abilities to invade countries that control the resources that our unlimited appetite”s desire? Or will we wake up tomorrow and cherish the children already here and the small, beautiful planet that sustains us?
Eight children playing near a police station in the northern Faryab province are killed by a landmine explosion. Six other children are also wounded.