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NATO, Afghan officials probe report of civilian deaths

  • Story Highlights
  • Allegation from mayor of Gereshk, who investigated attack near Hyderabad
  • Mayor reports 120 to 130 people killed, including women and children
  • NATO's ISAF also investigating to determine if any civilian casualties
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KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- The U.S.-led coalition and the Afghan government are investigating reports that as many as 130 people, including women and children, were killed Friday in an attack by coalition forces in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province.

The allegation came from Dur Ali Shah, the mayor of Gereshk, who said he was appointed by the province to investigate the attack near the village of Hyderabad.

"The people coming from the area are saying that 120 to 130 people have been killed, including women and children," Shah said. "We don't know how many of those are armed people and how many are civilians."

A U.S.military spokesman assigned to NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said he was aware that a large number of insurgents had been killed but they are investigating to determine if there were any civilian casualties.

A spokesman with the Afghan Interior Ministry also said his government had sent investigators.

This report comes one week after Afghan President Hamid Karzai accused NATO of "the disproportionate use of force" following an incident in which he said dozens of Afghan civilians were killed in the town of Gereshk, which is near Hyderabad.

Shah said the attack came after two coalition vehicles were hit with a mine and an ambush Friday afternoon. E-mail to a friend E-mail to a friend

All About AfghanistanThe TalibanNATOHamid Karzai

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