IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.

Afghan airstrike kills 3 civilians, 4 militants

An airstrike on a suspected insurgent camp in Afghanistan killed three civilians and four militants, the U.S. military said Saturday.
/ Source: The Associated Press

An airstrike on a suspected insurgent camp in central Afghanistan killed three civilians and four militants, the U.S. military said Saturday.

The Afghan civilians -- one woman, one man and one child -- died when warplanes attacked the camp in Uruzgan province on Friday, a military statement said.

"The attack killed one Afghan woman, one Afghan man and a child. Two children were also wounded" and taken to the U.S. base in the southern city of Kandahar for treatment, the statement said.

The military said the incident occurred during a series of attacks over two days against insurgents in the area, but provided no other details.

Afghan officials and human rights groups have complained repeatedly about civilian casualties in U.S. military operations, saying it plays into the hands of militants who have maintained a stubborn insurgency since the fall of the Taliban in 2001.

American commanders insist they modify their operations to try to avoid hurting civilians and accuse militants of using civilians for protection.