Afghanistan: IED explosion kills civilians in Helmand province October 10

Event

Five civilians were killed and nine others wounded after a roadside improvised explosive device (IED) struck a passenger bus in Gereshk district (Helmand province) on Saturday morning, October 10. The incident has been blamed on the Taliban, but the militant group has not commented on the attack.

Further attacks of a similar nature are likely to occur across Afghanistan over the near term.

Context

Taliban militants launch attacks on government personnel, security forces, and civilians in Afghanistan on a near-daily basis. Such assaults are, in part, intended to undermine the perceived capacity of the ANSF - and the Afghan government more broadly - to adequately provide security in the wake of the withdrawal of most US-led NATO forces from the country.

Advice

Those in Helmand province are advised to monitor developments in their own particular area of operations through a range of multi-source intelligence advisories and should heed all instructions issued by local authorities or their home governments.

The security environment in Afghanistan remains complex. Professional security advice and support should be sought prior to travel.