A bomb explosion apparently aimed at targeting a NATO-led civilian military unit the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Afghanistan left two persons dead and another injured in the western Herat province Saturday, a spokesman of the multinational force confirmed.

"The explosion occurred in the vicinity of PRT we know that two local nationals died and one injured. The civilian was in our compound and received injures in his arm due to glasses and was taken to a Herat hospital," Captain Buonaiuto of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) told Xinhua.

However, he declined to say if it was a suicide attack.

"We still do not know if it was an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) or suicide attack," he added.

But locals described it as a suicide attack and said the explosion aimed at attacking the PRT left four persons dead and wounded nine others.

Six vehicles, including one from ISAF, have also been damaged due to the explosion.

Afghan officials have yet to make any comment or identify the casualties.

Troops of ISAF and Afghan police cordoned off the area.

It is the first time since the beginning of this year that the peaceful Herat province has been rattled in bomb explosions while militancy is continuing in the southern provinces of Kandahar, Zabul, Helmand and Uruzgan where hundreds of Taliban-linked insurgents are said to have hidden.

Two suicide attacks wounded three Americans outside a base for the U.S. and British troops in the southern Helmand province on Friday.

Over 200 people including 13 American soldiers have lost their lives in Taliban-linked insurgency since the beginning of 2006.

Source: Xinhua