QUETTA, June 3: Five Afghan children were killed and five others were injured in an explosion in a house on the Sariab Road on Tuesday.

“Three children were killed on the spot and two others died in the Bolan Medical College Hospital,” a police officer said.

The explosion occurred in the house of an Afghan scrap dealer when the children were trying to dismantle a mortar shell.

The house, a portion of which was used for storing scrap, was completely destroyed.

The children killed in the explosion were aged between four and 15 years and they were relatives.

“Police found four mortar shells in the house and defused them,” DIG Operations Rehmatullah Niazi said.

“Police are investigating the incident, especially the presence of live mortar shells in the house,” sources said, adding that the owner was not present at the time of the explosion.