Afghan officials say suspected Taliban militants have killed 14 people travelling in western Afghanistan.
Officials in western Ghor Province said the gunmen stopped two minibuses traveling from Kabul early on July 25 and shot dead execution-style 14 civilians at the side of the road.
The officials said the victims were all Hazara Shi'a. The dead included three women and a child.
There has been no claim of responsibility. The Taliban have often been blamed for similar attacks in the past.
Civilian casualties have soared in Afghanistan as international troops prepare to withdraw by the end of 2014.
According to recent UN figures, 4,853 civilians were killed or injured in the first six months of this year -- up 24 percent on the same period in 2013.
Based on reporting by AP, AFP, and dpa