At Least Nine Dead In Afghan Blasts

KABUL -- Two bomb explosions in southern Afghanistan have killed at least nine people.

The blasts on March 15 came as U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta was visiting troops at a military camp in neighboring Helmand Province.

In the deadliest attack, Radio Mashaal and other agencies say eight civilians were killed when a mine planted along a road exploded in Helmand's Marja district.

Officials said Taliban militants are suspected of carrying out the attack.

In the other incident, in Kandahar city, one Afghan security officer was reported killed by a motorcycle-bomb blast.

At least two other people were reported injured in that explosion.

With reporting by AFP