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Confusion over deadly Afghan raid Gunmen kill Afghan MP in Kandahar
(about 2 hours later)
There have been conflicting claims over who was killed in an air strike by US-led forces in eastern Afghanistan. An Afghan member of parliament has been assassinated in Kandahar province, officials have said.
The US military said the strike hit militants in two vehicles who had attacked troops from the Nato-led international force. Habibullah Jan was shot dead after visiting an Afghan army base in Zhari district, where Taleban militants have been active, the officials said.
Afghan officials in Nuristan province said 22 civilians travelling in two vehicles had been killed. He was a military commander in the area before being elected to parliament.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai has repeatedly called on international forces to avoid civilian casualties. The news came as the US and Afghan officials gave conflicting reports of an air strike which locals said had left 22 people dead.
Rising death toll The Afghan officials said the dead in eastern Nuristan province were civilians but the US said it had targeted militants.
The US military said in a statement that militants had fired mortars at troops from the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf).The US military said in a statement that militants had fired mortars at troops from the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf).
"The militants were moving in two vehicles when coalition attack helicopters were used to destroy [them] killing the combatants," the US statement said."The militants were moving in two vehicles when coalition attack helicopters were used to destroy [them] killing the combatants," the US statement said.
It said there were no reports of civilian casualties, without giving any other details of militant casualties.It said there were no reports of civilian casualties, without giving any other details of militant casualties.
Afghan officials said civilians were in the two vehicles and that 22 people were killed, including a woman and a child.Afghan officials said civilians were in the two vehicles and that 22 people were killed, including a woman and a child.
"The civilians were evacuating the district as they were told by the US-led troops to do so because they wanted to launch an operation against the Taleban," a district chief in Nuristan province, Zia-ul Rahman, said."The civilians were evacuating the district as they were told by the US-led troops to do so because they wanted to launch an operation against the Taleban," a district chief in Nuristan province, Zia-ul Rahman, said.
There are about 70,000 foreign troops in Afghanistan, most of them serving under Nato's Isaf command.There are about 70,000 foreign troops in Afghanistan, most of them serving under Nato's Isaf command.
More than 8,000 people were estimated to have been killed in insurgent-related violence in Afghanistan last year - the most since the Taleban were toppled in 2001 - Associated Press news agency said.More than 8,000 people were estimated to have been killed in insurgent-related violence in Afghanistan last year - the most since the Taleban were toppled in 2001 - Associated Press news agency said.