Bus passengers killed in Afghan blast

KABUL, Afghanistan -- A roadside bomb killed at least 21 passengers traveling on a minibus yesterday in western Afghanistan, another example of civilians being caught in the crossfire of the fighting between Taliban insurgents and the U.S.-led coalition.

In the country's east, a suicide car bomber attacked a coalition base yesterday, killing two Afghan security guards, officials said, and the Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.

The minibus ran over a roadside bomb in Obe district in Herat province, setting off a blast that killed 21 passengers, said Gen. Zaiuddin Mamoodi, an Afghan National Police commander for four provinces of western Afghanistan. Twelve of the victims were children under the age of 5, three were women and six were men, he said. Eleven others were wounded, he said.

Mohyuddin Noori, a spokesman for the province's governor, said the bus was on its way to a bazaar where the passengers were going to shop.

Noori also said that a small truck hit another roadside bomb in the morning in the same district, seriously wounding at least four civilians.

-- AP