Afghan officials say at least nine civilians from a single family were killed after an army unit detonated a cache of explosives and ammunition found in southern Helmand Province.

Omar Zwak, spokesman for the provincial governor, said soldiers were attempting to destroy the ordinance they had found when the explosion occurred.

Rasoul Zazia, spokesman for the army in Helmand, also confirmed the operation in Lashkar Gah, the capital of the province.

Two provincial officials speaking on condition of anonymity on April 2 said nine civilians, including two children, three women, and four men from a single family, were killed when the explosion caused the roof of their house to collapse.

Helmand Governor Hayatullah Hayat told the dpa news agency that nine bodies had been recovered but that another was still believed to be under the collapsed building.

He said an investigation was ongoing and could not confirm if the house collapsed because of the ordinance explosion or some other reason.

Taliban militants are in control of much of Helmand Province, in southern Afghanistan, with only Lashkar Gah remaining under Afghan government control.

Based on reporting by AP and dpa