Bomb Blamed On Taliban Kills 11 Pro-govt Afghan Militiamen

FILE: Pro-government militiamen in Badakhshan, Afghanistan.

A roadside bomb in northern Afghanistan killed 11 pro-government militiamen when it tore through a truck in a pre-dawn attack on June 6 that officials blamed on the Taliban.

The group was traveling through Badakshan province to assist security forces in the area, officials said.

A local commander was among the fatalities, provincial governor's spokesman Sanaullah Rohani told AFP.

Badakshan provincial council member Abduallah Naji said the Taliban were responsible for the incident but the militants have so far not claimed the attack.

Local militias often work with overstretched security forces in Afghanistan and have been regularly targeted by the Taliban.

The attack comes as overall violence has ebbed across much of Afghanistan following the Taliban's surprise three-day ceasefire against Afghan forces last month.

Officials have blamed some deadly attacks on the Taliban since the truce ended on May 26.

The Taliban have largely refrained from launching major attacks on cities since the deal, but have continued to target Afghan forces in the countryside.