At least five civilians were killed and nine more were wounded in two roadside bomb blasts in Jalrez district, Maidan Wardak province, early on Tuesday morning, the provincial governor’s office said. 
 
A statement by the governor’s office says that five of the wounded are women and four others are children. 
 
The blasts hit two vehicles: a bus and a Toyota Corolla-model vehicle, both carrying civilians, the statement read. 

The victims of the incident were sent to the provincial health center for treatment, said Mohammad Salim Asgharkhil, head of the provincial hospital. 
 
No group has claimed responsibility for the blasts.  
 
This comes amid a sharp increase in violence in the country. At least 15 civilians were killed in a car bomb explosion in Ghor province in the west of Afghanistan earlier this week.  
 
Jalrez district’s Kota Ashro village has been volatile in the last seven days. Nearly seven days ago, a car bomb explosion targeted a security forces outpost in the area that left four security personnel wounded.  
 
The security forces in the outpost were under siege for almost five days, according to Abdul Jabar, a soldier in the outpost, who made the remarks in a recorded video on social media this weekend. 
 
Commando forces conducted an operation in Kota Ashro area, Jalrez district, on Monday and rescued the besieged forces, according to a statement by the Defense Ministry.