Roadside bomb kills 19 as Afghan violence escalates

A roadside mine killed 19 civilians and injured another five when it exploded in the southern Afghan province of Helmand today, the provincial government said.

The victims were travelling in a van when the homemade bomb exploded, it said.

"This explosion took place while a van was coming from Lashkar Gah to Sangin district when a terrorist's road improvised mine exploded on them," the provincial governor's office said in a statement.

Women and children were among those killed and injured, it said.

Yesterday, almost 60 people, including one US citizen, were killed in sectarian attacks in three cities across Afghanistan. After the attacks, President Hamid Karzai cancelled a planned visit to London to return to Afghanistan.