In Afghanistan roadside bombs killed 17 civilians in two separate incidents in southern Helmand province on Friday. Official sources say the first explosion occurred when a minibus hit explosive device planted on the road. The minibus was traveling from Nahr-e-Saraj district to the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah. Sixteen people, including women and children, were killed.In another incident in Garmsir district of Helmand, a tractor hit a roadside bomb, killing one civilian and wounding four others, including a child. There has been a spate in roadside bomb attacks in Afghanistan this year. According to a UN report civilian deaths due to roadside and suicide bombings between January and June this year were up 15 percent compared to the first half of 2010.President Karzai has strongly condemned the dastardly incident.