They said the victims, from the families of two brothers, were all civilians, but the U.S. military claimed the two brothers were involved in conducting improvised explosive device operations.

"We will join the jihad" and "Death to Bush", chanted residents of the village of Muqibel in the province of Khost where the incident happened overnight.

Foreign troops raided two adjacent houses belonging to two brothers and killed three men, two children and a woman from the two families, district governor Gul Qasim told Reuters.

The children, both boys no older than 10-years-old bore bullet wounds to the head and chest, a Reuters witness said.

A large angry crowd of men gathered as villagers helped the local imam wash the bodies before burial. Women could be heard screaming and wailing from inside the houses.

Two men were detained during the raid, the U.S. military and residents said.


Reuters

Güncelleme Tarihi: 19 Mart 2008, 16:16