Nato said that 5 civilians, including 2 children were killed in a firefight between rebels and foreign soldiers, in southern Afghanistan.
“Coalition forces positively identified the insurgent’s position and returned fire with small arms and indirect fire,” said the statement by Nato’s International Security Assistance Force (Isaf).
“Insurgents returned indirect fire, striking a compound resulting in five Afghan civilians killed and nine wounded, according to initial reports. Two of the killed and six of the wounded were children.”
US Army commander Colonel Rafael Torres said, “Insurgents purposely place civilians between themselves and coalition forces, they know they’re going to kill and wound Afghan civilians”.
Since 2001 thousands of Afghan civilians have been killed in rebels attacks and operations by Afghan and Western troops.