At least five killed in suicide car bombing in southern Afghanistan

At least five people, including four civilians and an Afghan soldier, were killed in a suicide car bombing near a security facility in Afghanistan's southern province of Helmand on Saturday morning, a government statement said.

Ten other people, including seven civilians and three security force members, were also wounded in the bombing, which occurred in the Nad Ali district, according to a statement by the Helmand Governor's media office.

An explosive-laden Mazda mini-truck was used for the attack, which took place around 8 am (0330 GMT) outside the base and killed the civilians as they passed by, the statement said.

Haji Abdul Ahad Sultanzoy, a provincial council member, said the attack took place outside an Afghan army base but that no further information regarding the casualties was available at the moment.

No group has taken responsibility for the attack so far.

Helmand is one of the most volatile provinces in southern Afghanistan. Ninety per cent of the land there is either contested or controlled by the Taliban.

The attack occurred days after the Taliban announced its annual offensive on Wednesday.

At least 24 people, including a high-ranking Afghan government official, were killed in Taliban offensives across five provinces on Wednesday and Thursday.