QUETTA, April 20: One Afghan soldier was killed and two others were seriously injured in a landmine explosion, which occurred in Spin Buldak, a border town of Southern Afghanistan near the Pakistani border, on Sunday.

Afghan officials, while confirming the incident, said that an Afghan army vehicle hit a landmine while on its way to distribute food amongst the Afghan soldiers posted at various checkpoints.

“We have lost one soldier in the landmine explosion,” a senior Afghan official of the Spin Buldak administration told local reporters and added that two soldiers who received serious injuries were shifted to Kandahar for treatment.

Sources said that the landmine was planted on the track linking the checkpoints established by the Afghan army between Spin Buldak and Kandahar.

The Afghan authorities have accused the Taliban for planting the landmine. “Taliban are active in the area and they laid the anti-personal mine,” Afghan official said.

It may be recalled here that two Afghan soldiers were killed and three others injured when unknown armed men attacked a checkpoint between the night of Friday and Saturday in Wat area, some 10km north of the Spin Buldak township.

Armed men attacked the checkpoint with hand grenades and heavy machine guns. Two explosions also occurred in Spin Buldak on the same night at brief intervals.

Bombs were planted near the district administration office of the Frontier affairs ministry. However, no one was injured or killed in the explosions.