Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) At least six people were killed, including two Afghan soldiers, when a car bomb exploded Saturday in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province, an Afghan official said.

The explosive-laden vehicle targeted an Afghan National Army base in Nadali District, Mohammad Radmanish, deputy spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of Defense, told CNN. A woman was among the civilians killed, he said.

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No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, the latest in a series to hit the country since the start of the year.

A Taliban attack in Afghanistan's southeastern Ghazni province earlier this month claimed 14 lives , including that of a district governor.

Read More</s>At least six people were killed, including two Afghan soldiers, when a car bomb exploded Saturday in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province, an Afghan official said.

The explosive-laden vehicle targeted an Afghan National Army base in Nadali District, Mohammad Radmanish, deputy spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of Defense, told CNN. A woman was among the civilians killed, he said.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, the latest in a series to hit the country since the start of the year.</s>The Taliban militant group has seized a district center in Afghanistan’s northern province of Kunduz and launched a bomb attack on an army base in the southern province of Helmand, killing at least six people, officials say.

According to Sayyed Assadullah Sadat, a provincial council member in Kunduz, the militants captured the governor’s house and took control of the police headquarters in Aq Tapa in Qala-e Zal district of the volatile province on Saturday.

He added that Afghan government troops had already engaged in fierce battle with the occupying militants to drive them out.

Meanwhile, Taliban claimed in a statement that their militants had also seized control of 10 security check posts and a market in Qala-e Zal, north of Kunduz city.

At the other end of the country, in Helmand, Taliban militants drove an explosives-laden vehicle into a military base in Nad Ali district, the blast of which killed at least four civilians and a soldier, said a statement released by the provincial governor’s office on Saturday.

On Friday night, Taliban militants also destroyed a house by rocket fire in Hoodi area of Goshta district in the eastern province of Nangarhar. According to Attaullah Khogyani, the provincial spokesman, the attack killed at least five civilians, including three women, and wounded two other women and a child.

Earlier this week, Taliban militants announced the official start of their annual spring raids, seen across the crisis-hit country recently as warmer weather has set in, continuing the heavy fighting, particularly against the government soldiers.

The escalation in attacks by Taliban showed the group was barely interested in an offer of peace talks by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. Taliban made no mention of the offer that came in February, showing that the group may even intensify its devastating campaign across Afghanistan.

The US-backed Afghan government is under pressure on multiple fronts this year as it prepares to hold long-delayed legislative elections even as its security forces struggle to get the upper hand on the battlefield and prevent civilian casualties.

Airstrikes by US warplanes have also significantly increased in recent months against the purported positions of Taliban and other militant outfits, including the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group, in the country.

Earlier this year, the UN figures showed that more than 10,000 Afghan civilians were killed or wounded in the Afghan conflict last year. While the main cause of civilian deaths was said to be militant bombings, the report said US airstrikes as well as government forces had also caused casualties.

US-led forces invaded Afghanistan and toppled a ruling Taliban regime some 17 years ago. That ongoing war has failed to bring stability to the country despite the presence of thousands of foreign forces. A recent survey found that the Taliban militants were active in two-thirds of the country and were fully controlling four percent of it.</s>Kabul: A Taliban suicide bomber attacked an army base in southern Helmand province Saturday killing four civilians and two soldiers, officials said.

Omar Zwak, spokesman for the provincial governor in Helmand, said three civilians and two soldiers were wounded in the attack in Nad Ali district. He said the bomber was a Taliban fighter who targeted the base using a mini-van, said Zwak.

Major Abdul Qadeer Bahadorzai, the army corps commander's spokesman in the south, confirmed the attack. He said the death toll could change.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but Taliban insurgents announced the start of their annual spring offensive on Wednesday even as insurgents are already regularly launching attacks and battling security forces.

In another report, in eastern Nangarhar province five people were killed and 15 others wounded in separate attacks, said Attahullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor.

Khogyani said among five dead there are three women; militants fired mortar shells striking a home in Goshta district. Three others, including two females and a small child, were wounded in the attack late Friday night.

Meanwhile, 12 people were wounded in an explosion in Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar, said Khogyani. He said the victims were two traffic police and 10 civilians.

"Two wounded civilians are in critical condition," he said.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks in Nangarhar, but the Taliban and Islamic State group are both active in eastern Afghanistan, particularly Nangarhar province.

The Taliban issued a statement Wednesday saying the "Al-Khandaq" offensive would make use of "new and intricate tactics" aimed at "crushing, killing and capturing American invaders and their supporters."

The onset of spring has traditionally brought an increase in violence in Afghanistan, as melting snows allow fighters to more easily traverse the mountainous terrain.

But in recent years the Taliban and an Islamic State group affiliate have carried out near-daily attacks year-round. The Taliban have seized control of districts across the country and regularly target Kabul, the capital.

The U.S. formally ended its combat mission in Afghanistan in 2014, but thousands of American troops remain in the country in a counterterrorism and support role. The Trump administration has sent thousands of additional troops to try to change the course of America's longest war.</s>A car bombing killed six people on Saturday in Afghanistan's southern province of Helmand, an official said.

Omer Zwak, spokesman for the provincial governor, told Anadolu Agency the attack occurred in Naad-e-Ali district.

"A suicide attacker was shot dead before he could reach his target [an army unit], but the car bombing martyred two soldiers and four civilians, and nine other people were wounded," he said.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed claimed responsibility for the attack in a tweet.

President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani reiterated his call for peace to the Taliban. “Not every Taliban wants to fight, this war is imposed on them by a minority. If you are Afghans and Muslim, acknowledge peace," he said during an event held in capital Kabul.

Lying south to the Taliban’s birthplace Kandahar, Helmand remains one of the most insecure provinces with militants controlling large swathes of land, despite losing some parts to the Afghan forces recently.</s>LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan, April 28 (Xinhua) — At least six people including the attacker have been confirmed dead and 10 others injured as a suicide bomber blew an explosive-laden car next to a military base in Nad Ali district of Helmand province in southern Afghanistan on Saturday, spokesman for provincial government, Omar Zawak said.

“A terrorist riding an explosive-laden car blew himself up next to a military base in Nad Ali district today morning, killing himself and five others including one security personnel and four civilians and injured 10 more people including seven civilians and three security personnel,” Zawak told Xinhua.

Without providing more details, the official said an investigation is underway.

However, unofficial sources said the number of casualties is higher than reported.

Taliban outfit since launching its so-called spring offensive on Wednesday has intensified activities elsewhere in the insurgency-hit Afghanistan and since then fierce fighting has been continuing in parts of the country.</s>KABUL: A Taliban suicide bomber attacked an army base in southern Helmand province today killing four civilians and two soldiers, officials said.

Omar Zwak, spokesman for the provincial governor in Helmand, said three civilians and two soldiers were wounded in the attack in Nad Ali district.

The bomber targeted the base using a mini-van, said Zwak. Maj.Abdul Qadeer Bahadorzai, the army corps commander's spokesman in the south, confirmed the attack.

He said the death toll could change.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but Taliban insurgents announced the start of their annual spring offensive last Wednesday, at a time when insurgents are already regularly launching attacks and battling security forces.

The group issued a statement Wednesday saying that the "Al-Khandaq" offensive would make use of "new and intricate tactics" aimed at "crushing, killing and capturing American invaders and their supporters.

" The onset of spring has traditionally brought an increase in violence in Afghanistan, as melting snows allow fighters to more easily traverse the mountainous terrain.

But in recent years the Taliban and an Islamic State group affiliate have carried out near-daily attacks year-round.

The Taliban have seized control of districts across the country and regularly target Kabul, the capital.

The US formally ended its combat mission in Afghanistan in 2014, but thousands of American troops remain in the country in a counterterrorism and support role.

The Trump administration has sent thousands of additional troops to try to change the course of America's longest war.</s>KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — An Afghan official says at least two people have been killed when a suicide car bomber attacked an army base in southern Helmand province.

Maj. Abdul Qadeer Bahadorzai, the army corps commander’s spokesman in the south, says two soldiers and two civilians were also wounded in Saturday’s attack in Nad Ali district. He said the dead toll could change after he gets a final report.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but Taliban insurgents announced the start of their annual spring offensive last Wednesday, at a time when insurgents are already regularly launching attacks and battling security forces.

In a statement, the Taliban said Wednesday its “Al-Khandaq” offensive is aimed at crushing, killing and capturing American invaders and their supporters.</s>According to the information given by the officials, minimum of six people lost their lives while 10 others injured on Saturday in a suicide attack next to a military base in Afghanistan's Helmand province. "A terrorist riding an explosive-laden car blew himself up next to a military base in Nad Ali district, killing himself and five others including one security personnel," the official told Xinhua news agency. He said an investigation was underway.

According to the information given by the officials, minimum of six people lost their lives while 10 others injured on Saturday in a suicide attack next to a military base in Afghanistan’s Helmand province.

“A terrorist riding an explosive-laden car blew himself up next to a military base in Nad Ali district, killing himself and five others including one security personnel,” the official told Xinhua news agency. He said an investigation was underway.</s>KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - A Taliban suicide bomber attacked an army base in southern Helmand province Saturday killing four civilians and two soldiers, officials said.

Omar Zwak, spokesman for the provincial governor in Helmand, said three civilians and two soldiers were wounded in the attack in Nad Ali district. The bomber targeted the base using a mini-van, said Zwak.

Maj. Abdul Qadeer Bahadorzai, the army corps commander’s spokesman in the south, confirmed the attack. He said the death toll could change.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but Taliban insurgents announced the start of their annual spring offensive last Wednesday, at a time when insurgents are already regularly launching attacks and battling security forces.

The group issued a statement Wednesday saying that the “Al-Khandaq” offensive would make use of “new and intricate tactics” aimed at “crushing, killing and capturing American invaders and their supporters.”

The onset of spring has traditionally brought an increase in violence in Afghanistan, as melting snows allow fighters to more easily traverse the mountainous terrain.

But in recent years the Taliban and an Islamic State group affiliate have carried out near-daily attacks year-round. The Taliban have seized control of districts across the country and regularly target Kabul, the capital.

The U.S. formally ended its combat mission in Afghanistan in 2014, but thousands of American troops remain in the country in a counterterrorism and support role. The Trump administration has sent thousands of additional troops to try to change the course of America’s longest war.

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A car bomb targeting a military base in the Nadali District of Helmand, Afghanistan, kills six including two soldiers.