Six militants were killed and two others wounded in an explosion in Afghanistan's southern province of Zabul, Afghan defense ministry said on Tuesday.

The incident occurred on Monday in remote Shamulzay district bordering Pakistan when the killed militants were busy building an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) but the weapon exploded prematurely, leaving the casualties, the ministry tweeted.

Taliban militants and Islamic State (IS) fighters have been using home-made IEDs to target security forces but the lethal weapons also inflict casualties on civilians.

On Monday, three children were killed and six children wounded after an IED went off along a road on outskirts of Mehtarlam city, capital of eastern Laghman province.

The militants have yet to make comments on the report.

source: Xinhua