Five Afghans killed in air strike, elder says

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Mar 12 (Reuters) - Western forces killed five Afghan civilians in an air strike in the southern province of Helmand, a tribal elder said today.

The elder, Meera Jan, said civilian houses were hit in the attack. As well as the five people killed, four were wounded, he said.

A spokeswoman for NATO troops in Afghanistan said an air strike had been carried out in the Gereshk district of Helmand province late on Sunday but NATO forces were not involved.

A spokesman for a separate US-led force said he had no information about any air strike.

Analysts say civilian casualties feed resentment of both foreign forces in Afghanistan and the Western-backed government.

REUTERS KR RN1548