There are reports that up to 50 civilians have been killed in a NATO air strike in southern Afghanistan.
The raid tood place in the Girishk district of Helmand province last night and it is understood that most of those killed were civilians
Officials in the area have only confirmed that there was a battle between Taliban forces and NATO and that civilians were killed in the bombardment.
A spokesman for British forces in Helmand said there was an on-going operation in the province, but denied there had been any civilian casualties around Girishk.
Lieutenant-Colonel Charlie Mayo claimed that because the Taliban do not wear uniforms when they are killed, they are called civilians.
Some 2,000 British and Afghan army forces have been conducting an operation in the Upper Girishk valley this week to clear Taliban insurgents from the area.
