Blast Kills Seven in Afghanistan

American soldiers stand guard at the site of a suicide bombing near the main gate of the Kandahar Air Field in southern Afghanistan.

 

Seven civilians, including two children, were killed in the blast, and eight people were wounded.

 

[Bahardar Khan, Eyewitness]:

"I was standing here near my truck. I saw a Corolla car driving very fast toward the gate. The car blew up near the American convoy leaving the base. Then I saw smoke and dust coming up and the American convoy on fire, I don't know anything more."

 

No-one had yet claimed responsibility for the attack, which comes as foreign forces fighting Taliban-led insurgents are in the process of handing over security to the Afghan army and police.

 

Despite the presence of more than 100,000 foreign combat troops - due to leave the country by the end of 2014 - the U.N. says violence in Afghanistan is at its worst levels since the Taliban were toppled in 2001.