A family from the Sangin district of southern Helmand province on Sunday said four members of their family were killed and four others were wounded in an airstrike carried out by foreign troops on Taliban on Thursday night.
 
The family, who are currently in Lashkargah city with their wounded relatives, said women and children were among those killed.
 
“Four members of our family were killed and four others were wounded, including children and women. There were also air strikes in other areas as well,” said Ahmad, a member of the affected family.
 
The Helmand provincial council chairman, Karim Atal, who visited the Emergency Hospital, paid his respects to the wounded. He said there had been casualties on both sides – civilians and insurgents.
 
Atal said: “Nine people were killed and three were wounded in one family, and from another family five people were killed and six others wounded. The injured people are being treated in hospital. The attacks were against civilian houses,” said Atal.
 
However, Helmand governor Hayatullah Hayat rejects reports of civilian casualties and said in Thursday night’s attack, more than 50 insurgents were killed.
 
“We have not received any documents or information that proves civilians were killed, because the area is a military zone,” he said.
 
Heavy clashes have been ongoing for the past two weeks – between security forces and insurgents.