Heavy casualties as blast rocks Afghan city of Kandahar

A cloud of smoke is seen after an explosion in Kandahar, Afghanistan May 22, 2018 in this picture obtained from social media. AZEEM ZMARIAL/via REUTERS

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (Reuters) - A blast in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar on Tuesday caused dozens of casualties, officials said, as fighting across the country showed no sign of easing off during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

There was some confusion about the cause of the Kandahar explosion, which sent a huge cloud of dust and smoke into the air. Officials initially said it was caused by a bomb packed into a minibus but later said the explosives were in two containers stored in an area of mechanics workshops.