Six Afghan Children Killed By 'Fishing' Rocket

Eight Afghan police officers have been arrested after six children were killed when a rocket was fired into a river to catch fish.

The Interior Ministry said in a statement that the incident took place on August 30 in the Doshi district of northern Baghlan Province.

It said one of the officers fired a rocket-propelled grenade into the water.

The rocket went astray and killed the children, who were playing on the other side of the river. Two others were wounded.

A provincial spokesman, Ahmad Jawid Basharat, said the children were aged between 10 and 14.

Using such weapons to fish is not uncommon in Afghanistan.

Based on reporting by AFP and RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan