PAN, July 7, 2011

Ghazni residents claim ISAF airstrike killed children

Residents say that a Tuesday night airstrike in the Khugyani district of the southern province killed two children

ISAF has launched a joint investigation with the Afghan Interior and Defence Ministries into reports of civilian casualties resulting from a coalition airstrike in Ghazni province Tuesday night, according to a statement delivered to Pajhwok Afghan News Thursday.

Residents say that a Tuesday night airstrike in the Khugyani district of the southern province killed two children.

The ISAF statement confirmed the airstrike but said the coalition was unaware of any civilian casualties. The statement said the airstrike targeted and killed an insurgent planting a roadside bomb.

Mohammad Hashim said two of his nephews were killed while grazing animals in the fields on Tuesday evening. Hundreds of residents brought the dead bodies to the provincial capital in protest.

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