KABUL — Two roadside bombs exploded Thursday in eastern and southern Afghanistan, killing at least 12 people and injuring 16 others, officials said.

Militants regularly plant roadside bombs to target Afghan and NATO forces, but the devices often kill civilians.

The United Nations has called on the Taliban leadership to stop using such explosives and mines.

The Taliban say they use only remote-controlled roadside bombs that allow a bomber to choose the time of the blast and specifically target coalition troops and their Afghan allies.