Children dead after U.S. airstrike
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A U.S. A-10 aircraft.
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KABUL, Afghanistan -- The U.S military says nine children have been found dead near the site of an airstrike on a suspected terrorist's position in Afghanistan.
An American A-10 aircraft struck a site south of Ghazni in eastern Afghanistan where the suspected militant was believed to be hiding on Saturday morning.
When ground troops went in to investigate whether they had struck their target, they discovered the bodies of the suspected militant and the nine children nearby.
The target was a suspected Taliban terrorist believed to be behind a deadly attack on two international contractors, U.S. military spokesman Maj. Ralph Marino told CNN from Bagram Air Base.
It is unclear whether the militant who was killed was the target, Marino said, adding investigators are still trying to confirm details.
The U.S. military says it is sending a team to the site to investigate what caused the deaths, but no timetable has yet been set.
Troops had collected "extensive intelligence over an extended period of time" and located the suspect at an "isolated, rural site," Army Maj. Christopher E. West told The Associated Press.
While there were houses nearby, he said, the aircraft did not strike them.
"At the time we initiated the attack, we did not know there were children nearby," he said.
"Until we get the investigation results, we can't say what exactly happened."
The blast in Kandahar blew out windows at a nearby hotel.
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American forces have been trying to track down remnants of the Taliban and al Qaeda sympathizers in eastern and southern Afghanistan.
The militants have stepped up attacks in recent months, targeting foreign aid workers and perceived allies of the U.S.-led coalition.
On Saturday at least 15 people were wounded after a bomb attached to a bicycle exploded in Kandahar's main square. (Bicycle bomb injures 15)
Kandahar is a former stronghold of the Taliban regime, which was toppled by U.S.-led forces in late 2001.
Taliban fighters have reportedly claimed responsibility for the blast, saying it was meant for U.S. soldiers.
On Wednesday two U.S. soldiers were wounded in Kandahar when a suspected Taliban militant threw a grenade at a U.S. military vehicle.
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Associated Press contributed to this report.
