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KABUL, Afghanistan – A bus has exploded after hitting a roadside bomb in western Afghanistan, killing many on board.

The latest count late Wednesday was that 35 people had been killed in the attack in the Ab Khorma area of Farah province, and another 27 injured.

All were civilians, and most were women and children.

“A passenger bus travelling on the Kandahar-Herat highway hit a Taliban roadside bomb,” provincial police spokesman Mohibullah Mohib said Wednesday.

“The bomb was freshly planted by the Taliban insurgents to target Afghan and foreign security forces,” he said

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

According to the Reuters news agency, which quoted the latest casualty figures, the Taliban has denied responsibility, with a spokesman saying their fighters were not responsible for planting landmines in the area.

“The blast has not been conducted by the Taliban, we are investigating the incident,” spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Wednesday.

The high profile attack is the second in two days. On Monday 20 people died, and fifty were wounded in a suicide bombing and mass shooting targeted Amrullah Saleh, the Afghan President’s running mate in the upcoming Afghan elections in September.

“Today’s attack on @AmrullahSaleh2 and his colleagues is an attack on democracy. I add my voice to that of all Afghans to condemn the attack, salute the professionalism of security forces, express deep relief that he and many are safe and offer condolences for the victims,” Nick Kay, NATO’s Senior Civilian Representative to Afghanistan tweeted at the time.

Also on Monday two U.S. service members were killed, apparently in an attack by an Afghan soldier.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meantime has confirmed he has been told by U.S. President Donald Trump that U.S. forces in the war-ravaged country are to be reduced prior to the 2020 election, which Mr Trump is contesting.

“That’s my directive from the president of the United States. He’s been unambiguous: End the endless wars. Draw down. Reduce. It won’t just be us,” Pompeo said Monday when speaking at the Economic Club of Washington.

“We hope that overall the need for combat forces in the region is reduced,” he said.

The comments have raised ire in Kabul. “Now suddenly adhering to the date suited to Trump’s election date has become more important than the meticulous task of bringing peace to Afghanistan,” a senior Afghan official who is also a close aide to President Ashraf Ghani, was quoted by Reuters as saying Tuesday.

“The American haste to pull out foreign troops has only provided more leverage to the Taliban. Afghan forces will be soon abandoned to fight the war alone,” said the official, who did not want to be identified.

(File photo. Credit: EPA).