An air strike carried out by a Dutch F-16 fighter jet in the southern Afghan province of Helmand has killed at least eight Afghan civilians, six of them children.

The commander of the Dutch Armed Forces, General Peter van Uhm said the air strike took place after "extensive fighting" between British ISAF forces and Taliban insurgents. The Dutch pilot was ordered to carry out a precision bombing raid on targets in a suburb of Lashkar Gah, capital of Helmand province.
 

A local tribal elder said nine civilians were killed including a number of children. General van Uhm could not confirm the report but said any civilian deaths were deeply regretted. He added, "ultimately we are here to help people and it is deeply sad that because of the actions of the Taliban, we have civilian casualties. It shows once again that the insurgents do not obey God or any laws".