Afghan civilian deaths probed

The incident involving the 2nd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment occurred on Saturday in the Sangin district of Helmand province.

An MoD spokesman said: "A full investigation will be carried out, and our sympathies are with the families of the killed and injured civilians at this time."

The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) claimed women and children were among the dead.

An ISAF spokesman said four people died and three others were wounded when troops set off three rockets.

He said: "The patrol identified insurgents with weapons on the roof of the compound preparing to attack, and in order to protect themselves, launched three rockets all of which hit the target.

"Unbeknown to the patrol, the civilians were inside the compound at the time. The casualties were treated at a nearby ISAF medical facility where two of them, children, remain seriously ill.

"ISAF deeply regrets the tragedy of this incident when women and children were killed and injured as a result of an imminent insurgent attack from a position where they would have known women and children were present.

"The enemies of Afghanistan have yet again shown a complete disregard for the lives of the innocent who they claim to fight for."