5 injured in bomb attack in northern Afghanistan

At least five civilians were injured in a bomb attack in Afghanistan's northern Maimana city Thursday morning, a local police said.

The attack took place at around 10:15 a.m. local time (0545 GMT) in Turbat Baba, a crowded area of Maimana, capital of northern Faryab province.

"The explosion was caused by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attached to a bicycle. The injured were shifted to a nearby hospital and the number of casualties was likely to rise," the police official said.

Government troops cordoned off the area shortly after the blast, keeping people from gathering at the scene for fears that there might be a second blast.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.

The province has been the scene of heavy clashes between the Afghan security forces and Taliban militants over the past couple of weeks.