At least 10 civilians were wounded in an air strike carried out by joint security forces in eastern Afghanistan today, authorities said.
Logar Province spokesman Salim Saleh said two separate military operations were underway in Logar, one in Baraki Barak district and a second in Puli Alim, the provincial capital.
"We have heard about civilians being killed, but can't confirm right now while an investigation is underway," said Saleh. He added: "As of now I can only confirm ten civilians wounded and transferred to hospital."
Gen Esmatullah Alizai, provincial police chief in Logar, also confirmed the air strike and said it was carried out by international security forces. Alizai said there were casualties among both insurgents and civilians but noted the investigation was ongoing.
Qari Yusouf Ahmadi, a Taliban spokesman, said in a statement that at least 20 civilians were killed in the air strike and that it was carried out by US forces.
Logar is one of the dangerous provinces in eastern Afghanistan, where Taliban insurgents have been more active in recent months and insurgents have launched coordinated attacks as well as used suicide bombing and roadside bomb attacks against the Afghan security forces in different parts of the province.
Also today, two suicide bombers launched a coordinated attack on a lawmaker's house in eastern Nangarhar province, killing two security guards, a provincial official said.
Attahullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor, said both suicide bombers detonated suicide vests full of explosives outside of parliamentarian Zahir Qader's house in Jalalabad, the provincial capital. One guard was wounded in the attack, he said.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but Nangarhar province is one of the most dangerous regions of Afghanistan, where both the Taliban and Islamic State group affiliates operate. It also borders neighboring Pakistan and has been the scene of heavy fighting in recent years.
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