Civilians killed in Afghan attack

The US-led coalition forces have come under increasing attack

At least six civilians have been killed in a rocket attack on a US-led military convoy near the Afghan capital, Kabul, officials say.

The attack took place late on Monday on a road linking Kabul with neighbouring Logar province, the authorities said.

Three other people were injured in the attack but there were no casualties among the troops.

Some 20,000 US-led troops are hunting Taleban and al-Qaeda militants in southern and eastern Afghanistan.

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Afghanistan

Interior ministry spokesman Yousuf Stanizai said the attackers had used small arms and rocket launchers.

"Our security forces have surrounded a village called Shah Ghaisee where we believe the terrorists are hiding," he told the BBC.

One local man told the BBC the militants had fired at the US military convoy as it was passing through the area - the civilians had been caught in the middle.

"They were simply at the wrong place at the wrong time."

There has been no word from the US military on the incident.

Violence

No group has said it carried out the attack.

Logar Province is a stronghold of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar's Hezb-e Islami group.

A month ago, 12 people were killed and more than 30 others injured in a suicide bomb attack outside an army base in Kabul.

The Taleban said they carried out that attack, but that was rejected by the Afghan defence ministry.

More than 1,200 people have been killed in violence linked to militants in Afghanistan so far this year, including about 50 US soldiers.