AFGHANISTAN: 13 Afghans are killed by missiles; Local officials claim friendly fire at fault

By The International Herald Tribune

U.S. and NATO missile strikes continued to exact a heavy toll in Afghanistan, with at least 13 Afghans killed in two incidents over the weekend that Afghan officials said were mistakes.

One NATO soldier was also killed in the eastern province of Khost. Although NATO did not give the nationality of the soldier, U.S. forces are deployed in Khost.

SOMALIA: Seven civilians killed in Mogadishu clashes: residents

At least seven civilians were killed when Islamist insurgents attacked a joint convoy of Ethiopian and Somali troops, sparking deadly clashes, witnesses said on Monday.

Fifteen others were wounded in the clashes that erupted Sunday in northern Mogadishu’s Towfiq district and spread to others residential zones in the volatile coastal capital, they said.

“Five civilians, including four children, were killed in Gupta neighbourhood when they were hit by an artillery shell. Four of them died in the spot while the fifth one passed away later,” said Abdifatah Mohamed Nur, a resident.

AFGHANISTAN: More civilian deaths in Afghanistan

TONY EASTLEY: Civilian casualties at the hands of foreign forces is a hugely sensitive issue in Afghanistan.

In the past President Hamid Karzai has said no civilian casualty is acceptable.

Overnight at least 13 Afghan police and civilians were killed in two incidents involving international forces. In one clash both sides mistook the other for Taliban militants.

Alison Caldwell reports.

AFGHANISTAN: NATO admits accidentally killing 4 Afghan civilians, says 1 of its soldiers dies in fighting

By NAHAL TOOSI, Associated Press WriterNATO said Sunday that its forces accidentally killed at least four civilians in eastern Afghanistan, while an official in the nation’s west said foreign troops used air strikes against Afghan police, killing nine. A NATO soldier died in fighting in the east.

The reported civilian and police deaths could damage popular support for the Afghan government as well as for foreign forces operating here. President Hamid Karzai has pleaded with the U.S. and other nations fighting resurgent militants to avoid civilian casualties.

AFGHANISTAN: Afghan officials: US-led forces killed 9 police

By the Associated PressU.S.-led troops and Afghan forces killed nine Afghan police Sunday, calling in airstrikes and fighting on the ground for four hours after both sides mistook the other for militants, Afghan officials said.

In a separate incident, NATO said it accidentally killed at least four Afghan civilians Saturday night. A NATO soldier also was killed in the east.