Kabul, March 27: The Afghan government says it has launched an investigation into a recent US-led airstrike that killed several civilians in the war-ravaged country.
Afghan officials say up to 17 people have been killed and several others wounded in a NATO airstrike in the south-eastern province of Paktika.
NATO, however, has put the number of deaths at 10, saying they were all militants.
Thousands of Afghans have so far been killed during military operations by foreign troops.
Many civilians have lost their lives either in Taliban bomb explosions or by NATO airstrikes and ground attacks.
According to a UN report, about 2,800 civilians were killed by foreign forces and militants in Afghanistan last year.
The figure was the highest since the start of the US-led invasion in 2001.
Over 150,000 foreign troops are stationed in the country.
The invasion of Afghanistan took place with the official objective of curbing militancy and bringing peace and stability to the country.
Nine years on, however, Afghanistan remains unstable and civilians continue to pay the price.
—Agencies