Afghanistan: At least eight children killed on way to school as mine explodes

Youngsters aged between 10 and 15 include four from what police described as a ‘Taliban family’

Civilian casualties have been increasing to record levels this year (AP)

At least eight children have been killed after a mine exploded while they were walking to school in Afghanistan, according to police.

The blast happened in the northeastern province of Takhar on Saturday, a school day in the country.

Sayed Mehraj Sadat, the provincial police chief, said the eight victims were aged between 10 and 15 years old.

However, a spokesman for the provincial police had earlier said nine children were killed.

Mr Sadat said the bomb’s intended target was most likely Afghan security forces, who often use the road.

“This area is under Taliban control and since security forces launched attacks to clear it, the Taliban have planted anti-personnel mines,” Khalil Asir, a spokesman for the provincial police, said.

“Unfortunately, today, one of those mines exploded and killed nine primary school students,” he said.

The children included four from what Mr Asir described as a “Taliban family”.

A spokesperson for the Taliban, which is fighting to oust foreign troops and defeat the US-backed government, was not immediately available for comment.

Civilian casualties have been increasing to record levels this year, despite efforts by the US and Taliban insurgents to reach a peace deal.

A record 4,313 civilians were injured or killed between July and September, a 42 percent increase from the same period last year, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said last month.

The toll included more than 1,000 deaths, the bloodiest period since the mission began collecting figures in 2009.

It brought the number of civilian casualties for the first nine months of the year to more than 8,000.

Additional reporting by Reuters