According to the local authorities in the Afghan province of Kunduz, six of the 54 people killed in Friday's missile attacks on hijacked fuel tankers were civilians  
 

The tankers had been hijacked by the Taliban, but were surrounded by a large group of civilians who began tapping the fuel. German NATO troops called in United States air support to bomb the trucks.

During an informal European Union meeting in Stockholm, French Foreign Minister Bernhard Kouchner said the attack had been a serious mistake. Luxemburg's Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn described the action as unacceptable. Afghan President Hamid Karzai also condemned the attack.

NATO has promised a full investigation into the incident.