34 Afghans dead in bus crash: officials

 KANDAHAR: A total of 34 Afghans were killed and 24 others injured on Saturday when a bus lost control and overturned on a highway in southern Afghanistan, officials said.

The smash happened just outside Kandahar city in the Daman district of Kandahar province at around 3:00 am (2230 GMT Friday), on the main road from the capital, Kabul.

"Unfortunately, 34 of our countrymen have been killed and 24 others have been injured in the accident," said Zalmay Ayubi, the Kandahar governor's spokesman.

"Some of the injured are in a critical condition and have been taken to hospital."

The director of the traffic department in Kandahar province, Mohammad Ullah Khan, told AFP the incident took place at 3:00 am and the coach was a mangled wreck.