Military investigators now say old munitions are to blame for the explosion. Elders in the area had originally blamed explosives belonging to Canadian troops.

The report into the blast was released early Monday in Kandahar during a roundtable for journalists with Canadian and Afghan officials.

Brig.-Gen. Jon Vance, the commander of Canadian troops said the children likely found the device in a field while on the way home from school and brought it into the village, where it detonated as they stood on a gravel pathway.

"The most likely cause of this explosion was an anti-personnel IED based on all of the factors at the scene," Vance said.

"Detailed tests were done. A site survey was done and eyewitness statements were taken."

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- with files from the Canadian Press