ASADABAD, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Twenty-two civilians, including women and children, were killed in an air strike by U.S.-led forces on Friday in Afghanistan's eastern province of Nuristan, an official said.
The attack happened on a road in Want district while thenoncombatants were travelling in two vehicles, the districtchief, Zia-Ul Rahman, told reporters.
"The civilians were evacuating the district as they weretold by the U.S.-led troops to do so because they wanted tolaunch an operation against the Taliban," he said.
"The civilians were in two vehicles when killed by the airraid," he added. The U.S. military had no immediate commentabout the incident.
(Reporting by Rohullah Anwari; Writing by Sayed Salahuddin;Editing by Jerry Norton)
