Kabul - Nine civilians were killed and seven others wounded Wednesday when their vehicle was blown up by a roadside bomb in eastern Afghanistan, a senior police official said.

The blast occurred in Sabari district of the south-eastern province of Khost when a bus en route to provincial capital of the same name was struck by a roadside bomb, police chief Abdul Qayoom Baqizoy said.

"Nine people, including a woman, were killed and seven others were wounded in the explosion," he said, adding, "They were all innocent civilians who were travelling to Khost city."

No one immediately took responsibility for the attack.

Baqizoay blamed "enemies of Afghanistan," a term often used to describe the Taliban-led insurgents, for the attack.

Taliban militants heavily rely on use of suicide and roadside bombings as part of their insurgency waged against the Afghan government and its international military allies. (dpa)