Sixteen civilians were killed as a roadside bomb struck their vehicle in western Herat province, 640 km west of Afghan capital city Kabul, on Tuesday, an official said.

"The tragic incident occurred in Shindand district at 3 p.m. local time when a mini-bus was coming from a wedding party ran over a mine planted by insurgents. As a result, 16 innocent civilians were martyred," the spokesman for provincial administration, Mahiudin Nuri, told Xinhua.

The victims include four women, a man and 11 children, mostly relatives or members of the same family, he added.