Afghan civilians reportedly killed in US-led airstrike (1st Lead)

Aug 10, 2008, 7:46 GMT

Kabul - An Afghan lawmaker and local villagers said Sunday that several civilians including women and children were killed in a US-led airstrike against militants in a north-eastern province.

One Canadian soldier was also killed by Taliban fighters in southern Afghanistan and up to two dozen more captured elsewhere in the country, officials said Sunday.

Matiullah Saif, provincial police chief of Kapisa, said Afghan forces operation backed by coalition warplanes killed more than 10 militants Saturday.

He said, 'There are reports of civilian casualties as well, but at this time we can't confirm it,' he said, adding that a team was sent to the area to investigate the incident.

But local media quoted villagers saying about two dozen civilians were killed and wounded in the airstrike.

'At least 19 civilians including women and children were killed in this bombardment,' Haji Mohammad Igbal Safi, a member of parliament from Tagab district, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

Safi said he got the information from the reliable sources in Kurghal village, where the bombing took place.

Elsewhere, the Afghan defence ministry said in a statement its forces killed or wounded more than 10 militants in Taqab district of north-eastern province of Kapisa.

Master Corporal Joshua Brian Roberts died of wounds sustained in combat in Zherai district of southern Kandahar province on Saturday, the Canadian defence ministry said in a statement.

More than 2,500 Canadian soldiers are stationed in Kandahar province, purported to be the main headquarters of Taliban leader Mullah Omar. The Canadian soldiers are part of more than 50,000 NATO-led troops from 40 countries.

Since their deployment in 2003, the Canadian forces lost 89 soldiers mostly in Kandahar, while a diplomat was also killed in the same province.

In another incident, Afghan defence ministry said three Pakistani nationals were arrested with explosives and 11 other armed militants were captured in southern Kandahar province.

Mullah Bari Gul, Taliban's appointed governor for southern Uruzgan province, and six other Taliban militants were captured by army forces in the province, the statement said.

It did not provide the exact dates for the incidents and in case arrest of the foreign militants, it did not say where it happened.

US-led coalition forces also said in a statement on Sunday that they detained three militants during an operation in Urgun district of south-eastern province of Paktika.

Due to remoteness of the areas, where Afghan and international forces are operating, it is difficult to verify independently the death tolls for the militants or the involvement of the detained individuals with the Taliban and al-Qaeda organizations.