Three Afghan boys were killed by a NATO airstrike in southern Afghanistan, while Taliban killed three civilians in the south-central region, officials said Monday, dpa reported.
"The NATO air force identified and targeted two insurgents planting mines on a road in Nawa district of Helmand province Sunday evening. Three children collecting firewood in the bushes nearby were also killed," provincial police spokesman Ahmad Farid Farhang said.
The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) confirmed the strike but said three insurgents were killed.
"We can confirm that ISAF conducted a precision strike on three insurgents in Nahay-e-Barakzay (also called Nawa) district, Helmand province yesterday, killing all three," spokeswoman Lori Hodge told dpa in an email.
Hodge said the coalition was looking into news reports of civilian casualties.
Taliban fighters shot dead three civilians in Wardak province and injured one, the governor's office said.
"A group of Taliban insurgents opened fire on four civilians collecting apples in their orchard this morning in Nerkh district," is said, adding that two people were killed on the spot and the third died in the provincial hospital.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid did not confirm or deny the attack, saying they were investigating the incident.