A suicide bomber Monday morning blew himself up between a government-run hotel and provincial culture information department in southern Afghan province of Ghazni, killing 3 civilians on the spot, officials said.

Mohammad Zaman, the provincial police chief, confirmed it occurred at around 9 a.m. (GMT 0430) when one suicide bomber came by a public mini-bus but the explosive material under his clothes suddenly went off as he just got off the bus.

Meanwhile, one police officer on the spot told Xinhua that the suicide bomber actually made a premature explosion resultantly killing the bus driver and two civilians passing by.

No group or individuals have yet to claim responsibility for the bombing while Taliban militants have several times carried out such attacks against interest of Afghan government and International troops in the war-torn country.

Spiraling conflicts and Taliban-linked insurgency have claimed more than 5,000 people, with over 2,000 civilians, so far this year, despite over 70,000-strong international troops stationed in strife-torn Afghanistan.

(Xinhua News Agency December 22, 2008)