Two road side bombs have killed at least 26 people in Southern Afghanistan. Both the blasts happened in the Helmand region of the war torn country. The first blast happened in the Garmshir district where a bomb when off under a tractor trailer killing 21 people mostly women and children. They were all traveling to attend a marriage celebration. In the past such bombs had been used against the Coalition and Afghan forces. Apart from the 21 who lost there lives, 5 people suffered serious injuries. As per the latest reports from the region, Afghan troops had been dispatched to the site to provide rescue to the injured.

In another bomb blast five police men were killed in the Nadali district of Helmand. The bomb was placed on the road side and exploded as a police vehicle moved close to it. Three police officers were also injured in the incident. Taliban fighters have been using these IEDs to inflict heavy damages, and at times are remote detonated or pressure detonated devices.

The new NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen is currently visiting Afghanistan and is not in Kandahar. One of the main things on Rasmussen agenda is reducing civilian casualties. Taliban have caused more that 60 % of the total civilian casualties in the last one year.