Officials say landmines have killed nine civilians in separate incidents in eastern and southern Afghanistan.

Youqib Khan, who is deputy police chief for the eastern Khost province, said three men, two women and a baby died when their vehicle ran over a mine as they were returning home from hospital on Sunday morning.

In the south, three civilians were killed when their vehicle detonated a landmine Sunday on the road between Helmand and Kandahar provinces, a government statement said.

The United Nations says homemade bombs continue to be the deadliest weapon for civilians in the war.

Meanwhile, a U.S. soldier was killed by an improvised explosive device in southern Afghanistan on Saturday, a military statement said. It did not elaborate.