Seven civilians killed in Afghan mosque explosion after NATO raid

Seven Afghan civilians were killed Sunday by an explosion inside a mosque after a combat between NATO-led troops and Taliban insurgents, dpa reported citing as official saying.

The incident took place in Sayed Abad district of Wardak province, south-west of Kabul, said Shahidullah Shahid, spokesman for the provincial governor.

Afghan and NATO troops were returning to base after an operation that captured a Taliban field commander when the troops were ambushed by insurgents hiding in the mosque, Shahid said.

Four rebels were killed and villagers were removing the bodies from the mosque when the explosion occurred.

"We don't know if it was a suicide vest that detonated or other type of explosives," Shahid told dpa.

A spokesman for the coalition troops confirmed that they had killed four insurgents in the mosque compound.

"We are aware of the allegations of civilian causalities and we are looking into it," Major Martyn Crighton said.

Villagers claimed the mosque was bombed by the military, but Crighton said there was no airstrike.

"It was ground operation and NATO and Afghan troops detonated a cache of explosives in the compound," he said.