Twenty-two civilians have been killed in two separate southern Afghanistan offensives, officials and resident say.

Asadullah Khalid, Kandahar's provincial governor, said Nato airstrikes in the area had left nine civilians dead and wounded 11 others on Wednesday

Nato said an operation was believed to have caused "several" civilian casualties.

The governor said the strike in Zhari district had hit three houses and that an unknown number of Taliban militants were also killed.

Nato's international security assistance force said it regretted any civilian casualties and that it made "every effort" to minimize the risk of collateral damage during operations.

Children killed

In a separate attack on Wednesday, a rocket hit a house during a night time clash between suspected Taliban fighters and Nato and Afghan security forces in a southern Afghan village.

A resident said 13 villagers, including women and children, died.

Provincial police chief Ghulam Nabi Malakhel said at least one Taliban fighter was killed and three police wounded in Tajikai village in southern Helmand province before the rocket hit the house.

Photo Caption

Afghan and foreign troops on patrol in Kandahar (file pic)