A roadside bomb exploded Wednesday hours before the announcement of the final result of the parliamentary election, when a UN vehicle was driving from Afghan southern province of Kandahar to Helmand, but left no casualty, a local official said.

"This morning at about 10 a.m. a vehicle of UNOPS (United Nations Office for Project Services) was driving from Maiwand district of Kandahar to Helmand's provincial capital Lash Kagah, and suddenly met a roadside bomb. Since the car is bullet-proof, although the car is partly damaged, there is no casualty," Torialai, deputy district chief of Maiwand told Xinhua.

"We have arrested two persons in charge of placing the bomb," he added.

The explosion happened only hours before the final result of the parliamentary election comes out. The final result of the election, according to the Joint Electoral Management Body (JEMB), will be announced at about 3 p.m. (1030 GMT) this afternoon.

After the holding of the landmark parliamentary elections in September, Taliban militants have intensified their attacks against foreign troops and staff. More than 1,500 people, with a majority of them Taliban militants, have been killed in the Taliban-linked militancy from the beginning of this year.

Source: Xinhua