Three civilians among 13 killed in Afghanistan

KABUL - Three civilians and eight Taliban insurgents were killed in clashes in Afghanistan and two NATO soldiers died in separate attacks, the alliance said Saturday.

A woman and two children were killed in an operation Friday in the western province of Farah as Afghan and international troops were pursuing a suspect accused of bringing foreign militants and weapons into Afghanistan from Iran, the alliance said.

The killings were accidental and occurred when a suspected insurgent vehicle was bombed, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said.

“We deeply regret what occurred on yesterday’s operation,” US Colonel Rafael Torres said, adding that an investigation was being conducted into the deaths.

The Afghan-ISAF force also killed six insurgents and detained several suspected insurgents during the operation, the ISAF said.

Meanwhile, an ISAF soldier died after an insurgent attack Saturday and another was killed Friday in an attack, both in southern Afghanistan, the ISAF said without providing details about the attacks or releasing the nationalities of the deceased.

Thirty-four NATO service members have now been killed so far this month, most of them by Taliban-made bombs.

In the northern province of Kunduz, ISAF forces killed two insurgents and several others were arrested in a search operation for insurgents conducted in Chardarah district, the ISAF said.

More than 140,000 foreign troops are currently based in Afghanistan. The US and other NATO countries have deployed additional forces this year as part of a surge to try to overcome the insurgents.

In response, the Taliban have also stepped up their attacks, mainly with roadside bombs, which have caused the most casualties among the ISAF forces.