PAN, March 25, 2010

NATO mortar shell kills a couple and injures woman and children in Khost

The incident occurred late Wednesday night in the Ali Sher district of Khost province, bordering Pakistan.

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.

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