Afghan authorities say a suicide car bomb blast near a NATO convoy in the southern city of Kandahar has killed at least seven civilians.
A local police official said two NATO soldiers and several other people were wounded in the blast, which occurred Friday, on the main highway that links the city with the Afghan capital, Kabul.
The attack took place a day after NATO-led forces and Afghan troops killed at least 20 suspected Taleban insurgents during a clash in southern Afghanistan.
A spokesman for NATO-led forces said the fighting erupted after a group of about 60 insurgents attacked a joint NATO and Afghan patrol late Thursday.
Also Thursday, a car bomb was detonated close to a U.S. patrol near the southeastern city of Khost, but no injuries were reported.
In another attack, 14 Afghan civilians and two soldiers were wounded when a suicide bomber blew himself up next to a vehicle carrying Afghan troops.
Afghanistan is currently going through its worst period of violence since 2001 as roadside and suicide bombings have increased in recent months.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.