KABUL, Dec. 17 (Xinhuanet) -- One schoolboy and a school staff were shot dead by unknown armed men in the southern province of Helmand on Saturday morning, an Afghan official said.

    "At around 11 a.m. this morning, two armed men riding a motorcycle opened fire at a group of school children in front of a primary school in Karta-e-Lagan area of Laghkargan, capital of Helmand province," deputy governor of the province Haji Mohaiuddin told Xinhua.

    The school children were leaving school after finished their class, he said, adding that the cruel terrorists escaped from the site while the investigation is underway.

    Earlier this week, suspected Taliban militants in Helmand province killed a teacher in front of his students.

    Afghan president Hamid Karzai has strongly condemned the killing of the school teacher on Saturday.

    "This heinous act of terrorism was aimed at depriving the children of Afghanistan of their rights to education and I condemn it in the strongest terms. The enemies of Afghanistan must understand that their evil acts won't close doors on schools in our country," Karzai said.

    The President also expressed his heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the family of the victim.

    The similar attack against education staff happened recently is on Wednesday when the head of district education department and one school staff were kidnapped and their bodies were found Thursday in Afghan central province of Ghazni.

    About 1,500 people, with the majority of them Taliban militants, have been killed in the Taliban-linked militancy since the beginning of this year. Enditem