Villagers in southern Afghanistan say that foreign troops killed nine civilians, including children, in an overnight strike on Wednesday

The attack happened in Babaji village of Lashkarga, capital of southern Helmand province, on Wednesday night.

But, when confirming the air strike, government officials and the task forces in Helmand province said that only Taliban militants were killed in the attack carried out by international forces.

Helmand provincial governor’s spokesperson, Mohammad Dawod Ahmadi, said that eight militants had been killed and denied that the strike caused any civilian deaths.

The villagers who drove the bodies to the capital, Lashkargah, said that the strike happened at 7:00pm while the people were harvesting.

The angry people called on the government to oust foreign troops from their area and were chanting "death to America".

"Two of children are among the dead," a protester said.

Video footage shows that at least two teenagers were among the killed and people around the bodies were asking in tears, "Are they Taliban or civilians?"

The Task Force Spokesman in Helmand, Lt Col Wakefield, explained that the attack was carried out after receiving precise reports from the area and killed eight militants who were involved in laying mines.

Civilian casualties in Afghanistan have provoked anger toward foreign troops in Afghanistan as Gen Stanley McChrystal, the commander of foreign forces in Afghanistan, said that they undermine the mission in the country.

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