KABUL, Jan. 15 (Xinhuanet) -- Two civilians were killed, nine were injured Sunday in a suicide explosion in Afghan southern province of Kandahar, a local official said.

    "This afternoon at about 1:30 p.m. (9 a.m. GMT) in Kandahar city, a suicide attacker in a small bus exploded near a Canadian convoy. Two civilians and the attacker were killed, nine others were injured," Abdul Qayom Pokhla, the health department chief of Kandahar told Xinhua.

    "One civilian was killed at the spot, another died in the hospital. All the nine injured have been sent to the local Mirwais hospital and were in stable condition now," he added.

    A witness named Abdul Rahman said one of the military vehicle has been exploded 10 meters away and was totally damaged. Another vehicle was partially damaged. Four bodies of Canadian soldiers were taken out of the vehicle, but their condition were not confirmed.

    Taliban militants intensified the attacks against foreign troops especially with the way of suicide explosion since last year. But it was the first time that Taliban used this kind of small bus to take the explosives instead of Corolla.

    A U.S. soldier was injured Saturday in a bomb explosion in Afghanistan's southern province of Helmand, U.S. military said Sunday. Enditem