At least nine killed as magnitude-6.3 earthquake strikes northern Afghanistan

A strong earthquake killed at least nine people in northern Afghanistan, authorities said on Monday, just months after another deadly tremor left the country reeling.

The 6.3-magnitude quake struck overnight at a depth of 28 kilometers (17 miles) with the epicentre near the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, according to the US Geological Survey.

Four people were killed in Balkh province, where Mazar-i-Sharif is the capital, according to Kamal Khan Zadran, a health department spokesman.