Five children killed in Afghan gun battle

Five children were killed after they were caught in the crossfire between Australian forces and Taliban fighters in southern Afghanistan, the Australian Defence Ministry said today.

The deaths came as the newly-appointed US envoy to the region tours Afghanistan, and highlights the rising civilian death toll – a major issue that President Barack Obama’s administration will have to address as it increases its focus on the country.

Afghan parliamentarians say they worry the planned rise in US troop numbers will further increase civilian casualties.

Envoy Richard Holbrooke arrived late yesterday for his first visit to the country since being appointed by Mr Obama to define a new strategy to combat the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

He is expected to meet Afghan president Hamid Karzai and other top officials.

Mr Karzai has repeatedly warned Western forces that they need to do more to prevent civilian deaths or they will lose the support of the Afghan people.

Mr Holbrooke comes to a country still reeling from a bold Taliban assault on government buildings in the capital on Wednesday. Eight assailants killed 20 people in coordinated attacks in the heart of Kabul.

Yesterday’s fighting in southern Uruzgan province started with a raid by international and Afghan troops on compounds in a village where insurgent leaders were believed to be holed up.

The resulting gun battle in Sar Morgharb village killed at least three children and wounded four other civilians, said the provincial governor.

The Australian Defence Ministry confirmed the fighting, saying it had reports of five children killed and four other people wounded – two of them children. Some of the wounded were taken to military medical facilities for treatment.

Provincial police chief General Juma Gul Himat said he had reports of four children killed.

One insurgent was also killed, but no Australian troops were wounded.

A total of 1,162 civilians were killed in insurgency-related incidents last year – 368 by foreign and Afghan troops and 768 by the Taliban. Another 26 were caught in crossfire.

Meanwhile, an American serviceman died from wounds received when a combat reconnaissance patrol came under fire in the south yesterday.