This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/6258248.stm

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Afghan suicide attack hits troops Karzai orders bomb deaths probe
(about 7 hours later)
A suicide bomber has attacked Nato-led troops in the south Afghan district of Gereshk where reports speak of heavy civilian losses in fighting on Friday. Afghan President Hamid Karzai has ordered an inquiry into air strikes in Helmand province by foreign forces amid disputes over civilian deaths.
Three British soldiers and three Afghan civilians were injured Gereshk mayor Dur Ali Shah told the BBC. A local inquiry into Friday's strikes found 45 civilians and 62 Taleban fighters died but US-led coalition forces and Nato question the figure.
British forces in Helmand Province are checking details of the incident. Mr Karzai recently accused foreign forces of "reckless" attacks.
Mr Shah says about 45 civilians and 62 Taleban fighters were killed in bombardments by foreign forces, but they are questioning the number. Fighting has continued in Helmand with a UK soldier killed in an attack on a base at Gereshk on Sunday.
Air strikes were launched on Taleban fighters at the Gereshk village of Hyderabad on Friday night after they ambushed a joint convoy of US and Afghan government troops. 'Lots of bodies'
'Day of burials' Mr Karzai has ordered a six-man team to investigate more thoroughly the air raids in Helmand province.
Spokesmen for both US-led forces and the European-led, mainly Nato force, Isaf, have questioned the number of civilian losses being given by Afghan officials. Last week he said the foreign forces were killing civilians through an "extreme use of force" and were not co-ordinating properly with the Afghan government.
A US spokesman, Chris Belcher, said he was aware that "remains of some people who apparently were civilians were found among insurgent fighters who were killed in firing positions in a trench line". Nato forces welcomed the investigation.
Isaf spokesman Maj John Thomas said the military had no information to corroborate such large numbers of dead and insisted Nato troops would not have fired on positions if they knew civilians were nearby. John Thomas, a spokesman for Nato's Isaf operation said: "We will co-operate in any way that we can. We don't mean to trivialise any of those who died, but we want to make it clear that we at this point believe the numbers are a dozen or less."
Mr Thomas insisted the military would not have fired on positions if they knew civilians were nearby.
The air strikes had been launched on Taleban fighters at Gereshk village on Friday night after they ambushed a joint convoy of US and Afghan government troops.
Mohammad Khan, a resident of Hyderabad, said seven members of his family, including his brother and five of his brother's children, were killed by air strikes.Mohammad Khan, a resident of Hyderabad, said seven members of his family, including his brother and five of his brother's children, were killed by air strikes.
Speaking to the Associated Press by phone, he said villagers were burying a "lot of dead bodies" on Sunday.Speaking to the Associated Press by phone, he said villagers were burying a "lot of dead bodies" on Sunday.
About two dozen civilians were also injured, villagers said.
The British soldier killed on Sunday was the second to die in two days.
The latest attack was on a patrol leaving a command centre at Gereshk where a liaison team was training the Afghan National Army.
Four other soldiers were injured in the attack, involving rockets and small-arm fire.