KANDAHAR, April 10: A suicide car bomber in Afghanistan attacked a Canadian military convoy on Thursday killing eight civilians and wounding 22 people, among them three Canadian soldiers, authorities said.

There was no claim of responsibility, but the Taliban have vowed to step up their war to expel foreign troops and bring down the Western-backed government. Intermittent fighting has been picking up recently after a traditional winter lull.

Among those killed in the blast were three children of a roadside vendor, the interior ministry said.

Kandahar police chief Sayed Aqa Saqib initially said none of the soldiers in the Nato convoy was hurt as the bomber set off his explosives just after it had passed. But the interior ministry later said three Canadian soldiers were wounded.

The Nato-led force, which has 47,000 troops in Afghanistan said three soldiers were slightly wounded but did not give their nationality.

“Isaf troops immediately responded to calls for assistance, airlifting the injured to a hospital for treatment and securing the area,” Nato said, referring to its International Security Assistance Force.

Saqib said eight people had been killed but the interior ministry said the death toll was five. Nato said it had reports of nine dead. Two policemen were wounded.—Reuters