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Suicide blast kills 7 Afghans-official


    KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (Reuters) - At least seven Afghan civilians were killed on Wednesday when a suicide bomber blew himself up near government officials handing out aid to people in southern Afghanistan, a provincial official said.

    More than 20 people were wounded in the attack in Babaji, outside Lashkar Gah, Helmand's provincial capital, said Dawood Ahmadi, a spokesman for Helmand's governor. Ahmadi did not know if any officials were among the casualties.

    The attack happened when officials were giving seeds to a group of farmers as part of a programme designed to stop them growing opium poppy, Ahmadi said, adding that the suicide attacker was on foot.

    In the past the Taliban have claimed responsibility for many suicide attacks in Afghanistan, where they lead an insurgency against Afghan and foreign forces.

    In February thousands of U.S. Marines led an offensive against the Taliban in Helmand, targeting the town of Marjah in NATO's largest operation in Afghanistan to date.

    (Reporting by Ismail Sameem; Writing by Sayed Salahuddin; Editing by Jerry Norton)