Kabul, Sep 15 (IANS): At least five civilians and an army soldier were killed when militants attacked a vehicle in Afghanistan's Ghazni province on Tuesday, the provincial government spokesman said.

A civilian car which had given a lift to two army soldiers was attacked by militants in Char Dewar locality, killing five passengers and one army soldier aboard the vehicle and injured one soldier," Xinhua news agency reported provincial spokesman Shafiq Nang as saying.

The Taliban-led insurgency has been rampant since mid-April when the militant group launched annual rebel offensive against Afghan security forces.

The Taliban urged civilians to stay away from official gatherings, military convoys and centres regarded as the legitimate targets by militants besides warning people not to support the government.

Nearly 1,600 civilians were killed and more than 3,300 others injured in conflicts and attacks in the first half of the year, according to UN mission figures.