Dozens of civilians, mainly women and children, were killed in western Afghanistan on Wednesday when the bus they were travelling on hit an improvised explosive device.

The passenger bus travelling on the Kandahar-Herat highway struck a "Taliban roadside bomb" and at least 32 people were killed and 17 wounded, said Muhibullah Muhib, the spokesman for Farah province.

Sediq Sediqqi, a spokesman for the Afghan presidency, put the death toll slightly higher at 34, also blaming it on the Taliban.

A Taliban official, however, said their fighters were not responsible for planting landmines in the area. "The blast has not been conducted by the Taliban, we are investigating the incident," said spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.

So far, no armed group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Dozens of civilians, mainly women and children, were killed in western Afghanistan on Wednesday when the bus they were travelling on hit an improvised explosive device.

The passenger bus travelling on the Kandahar-Herat highway struck a "Taliban roadside bomb" and at least 32 people were killed and 17 wounded, said Muhibullah Muhib, the spokesman for Farah province.

Sediq Sediqqi, a spokesman for the Afghan presidency, put the death toll slightly higher at 34, also blaming it on the Taliban.

A Taliban official, however, said their fighters were not responsible for planting landmines in the area. "The blast has not been conducted by the Taliban, we are investigating the incident," said spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.

So far, no armed group has claimed responsibility for the attack.