The NATO command in Afghanistan is investigating the deaths of five civilians during a skirmish Tuesday in the south.
The incident occurred in the Sangin district of Helmand province, the volatile region where fighting has raged for years.
The International Security Assistance Force said insurgents with small arms and machine guns assaulted coalition forces.
After troops identified the attackers' positions, they fought back "with direct and indirect fire."
"This is a tragedy," said ISAF spokesman U.S. Army Lt. Col. Patrick Hynes. He said the military is aware that "insurgents purposefully stage attacks against friendly forces" based in the homes of innocent civilians.
The deaths of civilians during fighting have hurt the coalition's efforts to win backing for its efforts, and the forces in recent years have worked to lessen such casualties.
Also on Tuesday, two coalition service member died in the south, both after bombing attacks, ISAF said. The precise locations of the killings and the nationalities of the service members were not immediately made available.
Also, over the previous 24 hours, an ISAF and Afghan border police patrol found 992 pounds of hashish in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province, also in the south.
In the same district, a police patrol found 33,000 pounds of ammonium nitrate, which is used to make explosives, and approximately 1,322 pounds hashish. Several people were detained.
Please take good care (all of you). . I will be gone for few weeks. prayers and praises!! Always !!
Do not think negative Larry. words have power. Lets say may peace be upon earth soon.
when everyone starts respecting each other beliefs... That is when We will have PEACE in the World!!! It will never happen in My life time...
Who is this Daniel-2 and who is the nutjob who keeps calling everybody that name???
No it is not.
I hope They blow them all up so that knowone can use them??? Maybe They will get all the Ammo They have and the war will be over!!!
Of course it is,Dindy. You know that and don't let these right-wing idiots fool you!
At least you didn't call me a Commie this time. That's a relief,Phunnie boy.
Gee Phunnie boy,I thought I asked you to call me by my own name. I feel fine. What's wrong with you anyway? Good grief!!!
Yacobi is right
Another whitewash,I presume.
But am I still a Communist like you said before???
Sorry Sanity,I'm the true Bledsoe here and I never called you a Communist. That was Phunnie boy my impostor and I want you to know it. I aologize to everybody this bozo insults.
Oops,I meant apologize not aologize.
Bravo.