(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-03-12 14:51

KABUL -- Two Afghan women and two kids were killed in an overnight firefight between insurgents and the NATO-led forces in southern Afghanistan, the military alliance said in a statement issued on Wednesday morning.

During a NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) operation in the area of Regional Command South, "a group of insurgents engaged ISAF forces who returned fire immediately," the statement said, adding "tragically, a group of civilians received fire causing the death of two women and two children."

Major Richelle Dowdell, an official with ISAF press office here, when reached through phone by Xinhua said it occurred on late Monday night.

The ISAF said it "sincerely regrets the loss of any civilian life and is saddened that casualties were caused as a result of a deliberate attack against ISAF forces instigated by insurgents."

Some other civilians who also suffered injuries during the clash were subsequently evacuated to an ISAF base for treatment, it added.

The NATO-led force said it never knowingly targets civilians.

"A number of insurgents were killed during the engagement," the ISAF said, adding "there were no ISAF casualties."

ISAF further said it has initiated an investigation into this incident.

A 43,000-strong multi-national force are deployed to Afghanistan under the flag of NATO-led ISAF, fighting militants and assisting in the country's reconstruction.