Eyewitnesses, including a provincial council member, said that at least 14 people were killed and three wounded–including women and children—during a night raid on Sunday in the Musa Qala district of Helmand province, in southern Afghanistan.
Local residents report that the victims were on their way home from a pre-wedding party and their vehicle was destroyed. The injured were brought to a hospital in Helmand’s capital city Lashkargah.
Omar Zowak, a spokesman for the Helmand governor, confirmed that there was a night operation on Sunday targeting areas in Musa Qala, and that civilians passing by were killed and wounded.
The Ministry of Defense stated that at least 22 foreign Taliban fighters were killed and 14 others were arrested during operations in Mosa Qala district, and that a Taliban weapons cache was destroyed.
Five Pakistanis and one Bangladeshi citizen were among the arrested, the MoD statement said.
The ministry said they are investigating the report of civilian causalities and will share their findings with the media.
The Taliban blames foreign forces and government forces for the civilian causalities.
