Roadside Bomb Kills 15 In Southern Afghanistan

Afghan authorities say a roadside bomb has hit a bus in southern Afghanistan, killing 15 people, including eight children, as a report from the United Nations said May was the deadliest month for civilians in the country since the UN mission began compiling statistics.

The Interior Ministry says the attack took place today in the Arghandab district of Kandahar Province.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said it had documented 368 "conflict-related" civilian deaths in May this year and 593 civilian injuries.

"More civilians were killed in May than in any other month since 2007 when UNAMA began documenting civilian casualties," said Georgette Gagnon, the UNAMA Director for Human Rights.

"We are very concerned that civilian suffering will increase even more over the summer fighting season which historically brings the highest numbers of civilian casualties. Parties to the conflict must increase their efforts to protect civilians now," she said in a statement.

compiled from agency reports