The civilians were driving into Khost city, capital of Khost province, when their van was hit by the blast, Mohammad Yaqoub Mandozai said.

"Three women, four children and two men were killed by the road side bomb explosion. They were all civilians," Mandozai said.

He blamed the attack on "enemies of Afghanistan" a term often used to refer to taliban militants who have waged a bloody insurgency against Afghan and foreign forces in Afghanistan.