At least ten militants including three Pakistani and four civilians were killed during clashes and airstrikes in southern Kandahar province of Afghanistan.
Kandahar’s provincial police spokesman Zia Durani confirmed that the incident took place late on Thursday evening in Maruf district.
He said at least ten militants and four civilians were killed during the clashes and at least eight civilians sustained injuries.
At least three killed militants were confirmed as Pakistani nationals.
According to Durani, the incident took place in Khogyani village of the district and a child and three women were among those killed while a child and seven women have sustained injuries.
In the meantime, another local source said the Taliban militants had taken shelter inside the civilian houses and were targeting the security forces with the heavy weapons, forcing the armed forces to call in airstrikes which resulted in civilian deaths.
However, the eyewitnesses are claiming that the militants had joined the vehicles convoy of a wedding ceremony when they came under airstrikes.
The anti-government armed militant groups including Taliban militants have not commented regarding the incident so far.