7 civilians killed by roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan

At least seven civilians were killed on Sunday after a roadside bomb hit their van in Helmand, according to an official from the southern Afghan province.

The bomb went off in the district of Marja, Mirza Hussain Alizada, a provincial council member from Helmand, told dpa. Omar Zwak, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said there were 10 casualties and that the exact number of dead was still unclear.Improvised explosive devices have killed or injured more than 800 civilians - 371 fatalities, 432 wounded - between January and the end of September, according to the latest UN report. One-third of the victims were children.