Bombs kill 19 civilians in Afghanistan

Two roadside bombs killed 19 civilians yesterday in southern Afghanistan, as growing numbers of non-combatants fall victim to the fighting between Taliban insurgents and the US-led coalition. A bomb also killed two Nato service members, the alliance said.

A minibus ran over a bomb in Nahri Sarraj, Helmand province, and the resulting explosion killed all 18 passengers, said Kamaluddin Sherzai, the province's deputy police chief.