At least 12 civilians were killed in a roadside bomb blast in the northern province of Balkh on Sunday morning, a local official confirmed.

The explosion happened in Barbar village in Dawolat Abad district when a vehicle carrying civilians hit a roadside bomb, the governor of Dawlat Abad district, Mohammad Yusuf said.
He said the civilians were traveling to Mazar-e-Sharif City, the center of Balkh.
Two children and seven women are among those killed in the blast, Mr. Yusuf said.
He claimed that the mine was planted by the Taliban.
Mr. Yusuf said clashes are ongoing between government forces and the Taliban in Barbar village for the past two days.
Taliban has not commented on the report.