NATO fire wounds five civilians in Afghan east

KABUL, July 21 (Reuters) NATO artillery rounds wounded five civilians in Afghanistan's eastern province of Kunar today, the alliance said in a statement.

The artillery fire was aimed at insurgents but two of the rounds fell short, wounding three women and two boys, it said.

A provincial official said one child had been killed in the fire.

Anger has risen in Afghanistan over civilian deaths caused by foreign forces hunting Taliban.

More than 300 civilians have been killed this year in operations by NATO and US-led troops, according to aid groups and the Afghan government, which has warned of civilian deaths by foreign troops.

Three Afghan police were wounded by NATO helicopter fire in a separate incident in a southern district yesterday. NATO said its troops had taken them for insurgents.

REUTERS GP RN1905