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At least ten civilians were killed and seven injured in a suicide bomb attack Sunday that targeted an army convoy in southern Afghanistan, officials said.

"It was a suicide bomber who detonated a motorcycle as an Afghan National Army (ANA) vehicle was passing by," Daud Ahmadi, spokesman for the Helmand provincial government, told AFP.

He said the driver of the three-wheeled motorcycle blew himself up after the ANA vehicle had crossed a bridge beneath which crowds were picnicking to celebrate the traditional Zoroastrian new year of Nowruz.

"The blast killed ten civilians and injured seven others," he said, adding that it took place 1.45 pm (0915 GMT) in the Gereshk district of Helmand province, a cauldron of Taliban insurgent activity.

The convoy was not hit by the blast, he said.

Helmand's provincial public heath director, Anayatullah Ghafari said two children were among the wounded taken to a local hospital.

A spokesman for the hospital said that nine people were injured in the attack.

Gereshk was the target of a major military campaign in mid-2009 that largely eliminated Taliban insurgents who had controlled the area, along with local drugs cartels.

Afghan and NATO military chiefs have recently hailed Gereshk as a model of success in clearing put insurgents and replacing their harsh style of justice with government security and civil services.

AFP