At least 8 people, including children, killed in blast in western Afghanistan

A blast from explosives placed on a motorbike killed at least eight people, including four children, and wounded seven other children in Herat province in western Afghanistan, a government official said.

The explosion happened near a mosque in Shindand district, said Jilani Farhad, a spokesman for Herat's governor said.

Two girls and two boys were among those killed, Farhad said.

According to initial information, the blast was caused by explosives placed in a three-wheeler rickshaw controlled from far, Farhad said.

So far no group has claimed responsibility, but the Afghan government blames the Taliban insurgent group for such acts.

Late March, at least one civilian was killed when a Daesh suicide bomber that targeted the entrance of a mosque in Herat.

According to the U.N.'s annual civilian casualty report, 3,438 people were killed and 7,015 others injured last year in the conflict in Afghanistan.