<p>A roadside bomb tore through a bus in western Afghanistan on Wednesday, killing at least 32 people, including women and children, a provincial official said.</p>.<p>Mohibullah Mohib, spokesman for the police chief in Farah province, said 15 others were wounded with most in critical condition, indicating the death toll could rise.</p>.<p>The bus was traveling on a main highway between the western city of Herat and the southern city of Kandahar.</p>.<p>No one immediately claimed responsibility, but Taliban insurgents operate in the region and frequently use roadside bombs to target government officials and security forces.</p>.<p>The Taliban have kept up a steady tempo of attacks even as they have held several rounds of peace talks with the United States aimed at ending the 18-year war.</p>.<p>The attack came a day after the U.N. mission in Afghanistan released a report saying that most civilian deaths in the first half of the year were caused by Afghan forces and their international allies.</p>.<p>The report apparently referred to civilians killed during Afghan and U.S. military operations against insurgents.</p>.<p>The U.N. report said 403 civilians were killed by Afghan forces in the first six months of the year and another 314 by international forces, a total of 717. That's compared to 531 killed by the Taliban, an Islamic State affiliate and other militants during the same period.</p>.<p>It said 300 of those killed by militants were directly targeted.</p>.<p>The U.N. said the leading cause of civilian deaths and injuries was "ground engagements," which caused one in three casualties. Roadside bombs were a close second, accounting for 28%.</p>.<p>Afghanistan is one of the most heavily mined countries in the world — a legacy of decades of war.</p>.<p>The Taliban, who effectively control half the country, have been meeting with U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad since late last year.</p>.<p>They appear to be closing in on an agreement whereby American forces would withdraw from Afghanistan in return for guarantees that it would not be used as a launch-pad for international terror attacks.</p>
<p>A roadside bomb tore through a bus in western Afghanistan on Wednesday, killing at least 32 people, including women and children, a provincial official said.</p>.<p>Mohibullah Mohib, spokesman for the police chief in Farah province, said 15 others were wounded with most in critical condition, indicating the death toll could rise.</p>.<p>The bus was traveling on a main highway between the western city of Herat and the southern city of Kandahar.</p>.<p>No one immediately claimed responsibility, but Taliban insurgents operate in the region and frequently use roadside bombs to target government officials and security forces.</p>.<p>The Taliban have kept up a steady tempo of attacks even as they have held several rounds of peace talks with the United States aimed at ending the 18-year war.</p>.<p>The attack came a day after the U.N. mission in Afghanistan released a report saying that most civilian deaths in the first half of the year were caused by Afghan forces and their international allies.</p>.<p>The report apparently referred to civilians killed during Afghan and U.S. military operations against insurgents.</p>.<p>The U.N. report said 403 civilians were killed by Afghan forces in the first six months of the year and another 314 by international forces, a total of 717. That's compared to 531 killed by the Taliban, an Islamic State affiliate and other militants during the same period.</p>.<p>It said 300 of those killed by militants were directly targeted.</p>.<p>The U.N. said the leading cause of civilian deaths and injuries was "ground engagements," which caused one in three casualties. Roadside bombs were a close second, accounting for 28%.</p>.<p>Afghanistan is one of the most heavily mined countries in the world — a legacy of decades of war.</p>.<p>The Taliban, who effectively control half the country, have been meeting with U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad since late last year.</p>.<p>They appear to be closing in on an agreement whereby American forces would withdraw from Afghanistan in return for guarantees that it would not be used as a launch-pad for international terror attacks.</p>