Saboor Mangal
KHOST CITY: At least two Afghan civilians were killed and four others wounded in crossfire between NATO-led forces and Taliban militants in southeastern Afghanistan, officials said.
The incident occurred late Wednesday night in the Ali Sher district of Khost province, bordering Pakistan.
Civilian casualties have become a source of friction between President Hamid Karzai and Western leaders as deaths of non-combatants are undermining public support for the government.
The clash started after sundown when Taliban insurgents attacked a foreign military base, resident Ali Madad told Pajhwok Afghan News on Thursday.
A mortar shell fired by NATO forces hit a house in the Chargoti village, killing a teenaged couple and injuring a man, his wife and two of their children, Madad added.
The deaths are the latest in a series of civilian casualties occurring after the top commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan, Gen Stanley McChrystal, banned night raids in a directive to all foreign troops based in the country.
NATO forces have confirmed the Taliban raid on their outpost inflicted casualties on foreign troops, avoiding providing any further details.
A Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, claimed the Western troops suffered heavy casualties in the attack.