Afghan air raid near wedding party kills dozens – provincial officials

An overnight air raid during a wedding celebration killed at least 40 civilians in Afghanistan's Helmand, provincial officials said on Monday. The governor's office offered conflicting numbers, saying 20 militants were killed as the defence ministry promised a probe into the killings. 

"Some 40 people were killed and 18 others were wounded and were brought to the hospital, all the victims were civilians," Majeed Akhundzada, a member of the Helmand provincial council, said. 

Both Afghan and foreign forces had been involved in the fighting, he said.

Sher Mohammad Akhundza, a provincial senator, also put the toll at 40 dead.

Afghan officials said the house being used by the Taliban to train suicide bombers was located adjacent to the bride's home that came under fire during Sunday (September 22) night's attack.

The attack on civilians, including children, comes less than a week after a drone killed at least nine civilians in Nangarhar province east of Kabul.

The defence ministry said it would "share the result of the investigation" into the deaths overnight in Musa Qala district.

Journalist Sultan Faizy has more from Kabul.

Conflicting claims

Helmand's governor said 14 Taliban fighters and six foreigners "were killed in air strikes conducted by the Afghan special forces," adding in a statement that authorities were investigating the claims of civilian casualties.

The Taliban said Afghan soldiers backed by US forces conducted a night air strike, followed by ground clashes between their fighters and Afghan forces.

Several civilians at a wedding party were killed and 18 members of the Afghan forces died in the fighting, the Taliban said in a statement.

Rise in civilian deaths

While the Afghan military does have a fledgling air force, most strikes are led or supported by the US, the only member of the international coalition in Afghanistan that provides aerial support in the conflict.

There was no immediate comment from NATO's Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan.

The UN documented a sharp rise in civilian deaths from air strikes last year, as Afghan and US forces intensified the aerial bombardment of terrorists.

This is a developing story and will be updated accordingly.