A landmine explosion killed nine children in northeastern Afghanistan on Friday, amid an increase in civilian casualties in the long-running war.<br />'' <br />''The blast happened in volatile Darqad district of Takhar province, when the children stepped on a mine that had been planted on a road in a Taliban-controlled village. A spokesman for the Takhar provincial governor, Jawad Hejri said, these children were killed this morning in the landmine blast planted by the Taliban.<br />''<br />''<span style="color: #222222;">No group so far has claimed the responsibility for the blast.</span><br />