News - Afghanistan

Afghan local officials on Sunday said that two 10-year-old would-be suicide bombers were captured in southern Kandahar province; months after President Karzai pardoned the pair over a similar incident.

"The two ten-year-old would-be bombers were arrested along with three other militants last week, while planning an attack on Afghan and international forces in Kandahar," Provincial spokesman, Zalmai Ayubi said.

The two boys were equipped with suicide vests when they were arrested, he added.

The children were reportedly released last August, along with 18 others, after receiving a pardon from the Afghan President.

Local officials said that the two children had gone to Pakistan after their release, but were sent back to Afghanistan after being trained to conduct suicide attacks in the country.

One of the children, named Azizullah, 12 years old, said that he went to Pakistan to a madrasa in Quetta. The teachers told him "you won't be hurt, go and carry out a suicide attack."

The boy said he was persuaded to carry out the attack at a training camp by militants who told him when he said that the teachers told him that when the "Americans fire at you... they will not be able to hit you".

US officials have blamed the insurgents for the attack in Afghanistan and said the terrorist sanctuaries are based in Pakistan.

Insurgents have often used children and teenagers to conduct attacks on security forces in Afghanistan.