Roadside bomb kills 11 members of Afghan family

Eleven members of an Afghan family were killed on Friday, in a roadside bomb that hit their vehicle while they were travelling for an engagement ceremony in the country's volatile east.

Mostly women and children died in the attack that occurred in the Mohammad Agha district of Laghman province, however no militant group has so far claimed responsibility.

"The bomb struck their Toyota sedan when they were going for an engagement ceremony," said Logar Governor Mohammad Halim Fidai.

"The victims included five women and five children."

Provincial authorities blamed the Taliban, who launched their annual "spring offensive" last month, for Friday's attack.

The Taliban has not yet commented on the attack, but roadside bombs have been the militants' weapon of choice in their war against foreign and Afghan security forces.

The bombs also increasingly kill and wound civilians.

In the first four months of 2017, some 987 child casualties were reported from conflict-related incidents - a record high for the period since the United Nations began documenting such cases.

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan voiced alarm when five boys from one family were killed this month by an unexploded mortar round in Laghman.

"The children were playing outside their home and found the mortar round, likely fired during fighting earlier in the day," said UNAMA chief Tadamichi Yamamoto. 

"A family destroyed in seconds - this horror is just one of too many incidents documented at the onset of this fighting season."

Earlier this week, the head of the US Defence Intelligence Agency, General Vincent Stewart, warned the security situation in Afghanistan could deteriorate if the situation is not addressed soon.

A new NATO mission could see US and coalition troops at brigade and battalion level to aid Afghan forces with artillery, intelligence or close air support, he added.