Twelve new born babies died on Sunday over a five-hour period at the Panjshir Emergency hospital, local officials said Monday. 

The head of Panjshir Emergency Hospital Mohammad Akbar Jan said the babies who died had been between the age of six days and 15 days and that they all died on Sunday between 9am and 2pm.

All babies were being treated in ICU at the time of their deaths.  

Akbar Jan said that six of the babies were from Parwan province, three were from Kapisa province and three others were from Panjshir. 

The cause of their deaths is not yet clear, he said.

Mohammad Mansour Anabi, provincial media officer, said a delegation from the province including government and non-government institutions have been tasked to investigate the incident.