Two Afghan civilians die as troops attack bomb planters

TWO civilians were killed as police and US-led forces attacked militants planting a roadside bomb in eastern Afghanistan.

Zalmay Dadak, mayor of Khogyani district of Nangarhar province, said police fatally shot one suspect shortly before midnight and gave chase to the others.

A helicopter from the US-led coalition fired at the militants, but also hit a house in a village, killing a man and a child.

Some villagers mounted a protest this morning against the civilian deaths as officials tried to placate them.

Coalition spokesman Nathan Perry confirmed an "engagement" in Nangarhar with suspects "digging in the road," but had no other details.

Civilians are regularly killed in clashes between militants and security forces as well as bearing the brunt of insurgent suicide bombings.

Coalition and Nato commanders insist they take all reasonable precautions to avoid killing innocents. They blame militants for launching attacks from family homes. However, they face criticism for using aircraft to bomb targets in residential areas.

Outgunned militants have turned increasingly to laying bombs for passing convoys of government or foreign troops.