KHOST, Afghanistan, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A child has been killed and 16 children wounded following a blast in Afghanistan's eastern province of Khost, local police said Sunday.

"The blast occurred Saturday evening at vicinity of a religious school in Spin Kaan locality, Nadir Shah Kot district. Khost provincial police have launched an investigation into the incident," Basir Bina, provincial police spokesman, told Xinhua.

He blamed enemies of peace and stability, a term referring to Taliban militants, for the attack.

More than 3,430 civilians were killed and over 7,000 others injured in conflict-related incidents in 2017, according to figures released by the United Nations mission in the country.

Out of the casualties more than 850 children lost their lives and over 2,300 children injured last year.