The Central Bank employees were on their way from Islam Qala border township to provincial capital Herat city, when a group of armed militants dropped them from their car shooting them dead at about 3:30 p.m. local time Thursday in Ahmad Abad area of Kuhsan district, Jailani Farhad, a provincial government spokesman, told Xinhua.

The militants managed to flee the area soon after killing the victims.

"They (the victims) have not coordinated their travel with police prior to their return to the city," said the spokesman.

Thursday's attack was the latest targeted killing in a spate of such attacks.

Tariq Arian, spokesman of Afghan Interior Ministry, blamed Taliban militants for the attack and the militant group has yet to make comments on the report.

Civilians considered to be supporting government, civilian government employees, religious leaders, tribal elders and persons involved in peace and reconciliation efforts came under attack in targeted killings over the past years.

More than 3,400 civilians were killed and over 6,900 others injured in conflict-related incidents in 2019, according to the figures released by the UN mission in the country.