A roadside bomb in northwest Afghanistan is being blamed for killing five children who were helping herd cattle.

Police in the Gormach district of Faryab province say the children were helping with the cattle late Friday when the device exploded. They say four adults also were killed, and one other person was wounded.

President Hamid Karzai and NATO officials are condemning the incident.

The commander of the International Security Assistance Force, General John Allen, called the blast tragic and said it shows that Afghan insurgents have “complete disregard” for human life.