At least eight civilians were killed and seven more were wounded after three mortars hit near residential houses in Naw Abad area in the city of Ghazni this evening, the provincial police spokesman Wahidullah Juma said.

He said that the incident happened when the first mortar “shelled by the Taliban” hit a house in the area and that the two others hit the area when the people gathered to help those affected. 

He said that nine children and four women are among those killed and wounded in the incident.

Taliban has not commented on the statement.

This comes as violence has increased in many parts of the country despite the ongoing efforts to begin direct talks with the Taliban in Qatar.