Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Afghanistan Bomb Kills 5

   VOA News 15 January 2010

   A  roadside  bomb  has  killed  five  people  in southern Afghanistan,
   including four children.  The other victim was a woman.
   Local  officials  in  Kandahar  province say the blast occurred in the
   Spin  Boldak district Friday as the five were on their way home from a
   shrine.
   Afghan  civilians  have  increasingly  been  caught  in  the middle as
   violence  rises  amid  an  influx  of  U.S.  and  other foreign forces
   fighting  the  Taliban.   A  United  Nations report this week said the
   number of civilians killed in war-related violence reached its highest
   level last year since the U.S.-led invasion in 2001.
   The  U.N. report said civilian casualties rose 14 percent in 2009.  It
   said most of them were caused by Taliban attacks.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

.