4 civilians killed in explosion in W. Afghanistan

HERAT, Afghanistan, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- Four civilians were killed and three others wounded following an explosion in western Afghan province of Herat on Thursday, provincial government spokesman said.

The incident occurred in remote Chishti Sharif district in the morning when an explosive remnants of war (ERW) detonated at a village in the district, eastern side of the province, 640 km west of Kabul, spokesman Jilani Farhad told Xinhua.

Afghan officials used the term of ERW, referring to unexploded ordnance (UXO) and abandoned explosive ordnance (AXO).

Landmines, anti-personnel mines and ERW explosions kill or maim more than 50 people every month in the militancy-hit country, according to officials.