Afghan security force members take part in a military operation in Helmand Province, southern Afghanistan, Sept. 23, 2019. The provincial government wrote in a statement issued here Monday, that 14 militants, including six foreign militants and three Taliban key commanders were killed following a Special Operations Forces' airstrike and operation in Musa Qala Sunday night. (Xinhua/Abdul Aziz Safdari)
LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Multiple civilians, mostly women and children, were feared killed after an airstrike struck a house where a wedding ceremony was underway in Afghanistan's southern province of Helmand overnight, a local source said Monday.
"Two separate airstrikes were conducted in Musa Qala district Sunday night. One strike killed and wounded 18 militants in Konjak village but the other strike caused massive civilian casualties in Shah-wa-Harrus locality," Abdul Majid Akhundzada from provincial council told Xinhua.
"A marriage ceremony was underway in a house in Shah-wa-Harrus village. But the civilians were victimized after the house was struck by the air raid at midnight," he said.
Citing information providing by local villagers, Akhundzada said that at least 40 civilians were killed and injured in the incident, in the northern side of the province.
Meantime, the provincial government wrote in a statement issued here Monday, that 14 militants, including six foreign militants and three Taliban key commanders were killed following a Special Operations Forces' airstrike and operation in Musa Qala Sunday night.
The statement said that the provincial government has ordered security officials to investigate alleged civilian casualties in the remote district.
Helmand province, notorious for poppy growing, is a known Taliban stronghold.
On Wednesday, some 30 pine nut farm workers were killed and several others wounded in a NATO-led coalition forces' airstrike, intending to target an Islamic State (IS) hideout in eastern Nangarhar province.
The coalition forces have been carrying out airstrikes in support of Afghan security forces since end of 2014 when the NATO and U.S. forces ended their combat mission in the country.
