Rescuers have been pulling more bodies from the rubble at a weapons depot that exploded in the southern Afghan border town of Spin Boldak on Friday.

Up to 30 people are believed to have died in the blasts. Casualties are being taken to hospitals in the Pakistan town of Chaman and the main southern Afghan city, Kandahar.

I have seen some live weapons in houses, and people are really scared

Fazal Rahim, rescue worker

It remains unclear what caused the explosions at the massive arms and munitions stockpile belonging to the forces of warlord Gul Agha - governor of the province of Kandahar.

Afghan soldiers have begun clearing unexploded ammunition scattered over a large area - on dirt roads, rooftops and inside living rooms.

Another large explosion rocked the outskirts of the Afghan capital, Kabul, on Saturday. No injuries were reported.

Injuries

Quoting a United Nations official, the AFP news agency reported that 32 people had been killed and 70 wounded - but this has not been confirmed.

An Afghan embassy official in Pakistan, Abdul Jabbar Naeemi, said he had unconfirmed reports of up to 30 deaths.

Click here for a map of the region

"Unofficially between 25 to 30 people have died but the number of casualties is far greater," Mr Naeemi told AFP.

"Around 60 people, including children and women, have been injured."

Unexploded ordnance

Munitions that had been scattered over a two-kilometre radius were still reported to be exploding one day after the initial blasts.

One rescue worker said some parts of town had been turned into a virtual minefield and they were waiting for the area to be cleared of unexploded ordnance.

There was widespread damage

"We can see the bodies of soldiers are under the collapsed roofs and walls," Fazal Rahim said. "I have seen some live weapons in houses, and people are really scared."

A local Afghan commander has said the explosion was sparked by a rocket attack of unknown origin. But Afghan officials in Pakistan say the explosion appears to have been an accident.

The ammunition store was set up by the former Taleban regime in what was a religious school, in the centre of the town.

The BBC's Susannah Price, who is in the region, says there are many such depots across Afghanistan filled with weapons - a result of more than two decades of war.

---

Click here to return