Gunmen kill seven Afghan aid workers

Afghanistan is littered with mines after 20 years of war

Seven people working for the United Nations mine-clearing programme in Afghanistan have been killed and one seriously wounded in an ambush.

The attack took place on Saturday on a mountain road in the western province of Herat, near the town of Kotal-e-Subzak.

The mine-clearance workers - all Afghans - were travelling from Badghis province to Herat when their two vehicles came under fire.

The Taleban militia, which controls most of the country, and the Northern Alliance, which opposes the Taleban, have blamed each other for the killings.

UN officials said the circumstances of the attack were still confused and they hope to have more information on Monday.

The war has caused lawlessness and widespread destruction

The bodies of the men, who all came from Nangarhar province in eastern Afghanistan, have been flown back for burial.

Mulla Khairullah, the Taleban governor of Herat province, said the gunmen were opposition supporters organised by the former provincial governor, Ismail Khan.

The opposition strongly denied the claim, saying the ambush took place in an area under Taleban control.

Mine danger

The BBC correspondent in Kabul, Kate Clark, says that in 20 years of war, Afghanistan has become the most heavily mined country in the world.

De-miners are usually respected by both sides and work all over the country in areas which are at peace.

UN and other aid agency vehicles have been held up by armed men in Afghanistan before, but these are the first killings since 1998.

In previous attacks on aid workers, the thieves have usually stolen the long-distance radio sets used to keep workers in touch with base.

Mines are reportedly still being used in areas of conflict between the ruling Taleban and the northern opposition alliance.

There has been an upsurge of fighting in northeastern Afghanistan, with the Taleban trying to capture the opposition stronghold of Taloqan.