Six children and a woman were killed by a Taliban-fired mortar shell in the capital of southern Ghazni province on Friday, an official said.

AVA- The mortar shell struck a civilian house, lilling six members of a family in the Qarabaghi area of the provincial capital, said the Ghazni governor's spokesman.

Mohammad Arif Noori told Pajhwok Afghan News that six minors were killed and three others wounded in the attack, which happened during an operation in the area.

He said security forces were conducting a counterinsurgency offensive in Mangor, Qarabaghi, Shahbaz and Spandi neighbourhoods of the provincial capital.

At least 10 militants have been killed and several weapons seized so far during the ongoing operation, according to the official.

Ghazni Civil Hospital Director Baz Mohammad Himmat confirmed the incident, saying they had received six bodies and three injured boys from the scene.