Kabul, April 27 (IANS): At least six civilians, all members of the same family, were killed when a bomb allegedly hidden by the Taliban for later use accidentally exploded in southern Afghanistan, an official told Efe news agency on Monday.

Two women and two children were among those killed in the explosion that occurred late Sunday in a village in Zabul province, according to Islam Gul Sayal, the Zabul governor's spokesman.

He criticised the Taliban for forcing the villagers to store explosives in their houses, increasing the vulnerability of civilians in the conflict.

Sayal added that bomb experts deactivated several improvised explosive devices (IEDs), hidden inside houses, and that such explosives are typically placed by insurgents near bridges and roads to attack Afghan and international security forces.

Violence against non-military targets in Afghanistan increased in 2014, with around 3,700 civilians dead and nearly 7,000 wounded, according to UN data.